Nothing But Time (extreme re-write!)
by drewsdaredevil
Summary: Three friends attend a Naruto celebration in their hometown, only to find a summoning scroll that takes them to the Naruto world. Will they survive long enough to return to their own world? Will they be able to change the timeline for the better? What is with our hero's unique chakra, and what other secrets have yet to be unearthed?...Too many characters for character tags. Rated M
1. The Beginning

_AN: *Hey guys! This is a re-write of a story I wrote on Quotev, Nothing But Time. A lot has happened since I wrote the original story, so I'm changing it up like, a lot! On that note, it's the first time I have every posted a story on , so please bear with me, as I have no doubt that bugs or accidents will occur while posting this. Reviews are always welcome! Shout-out to Lauren, my cousin, for reviewing and proofreading this as I wrote it. WARNING: There will be a lot of language and death in this, as well as sexual innuendos and situations, so it will be an M rating. DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Neji and Itachi would never have died.*_

 _I will not cry, I will not cry!_

I wiped a tear from my eye as I watched Itachi release the reanimation jutsu. A tear from the allergies of summer, understand, not sadness. Onward!

When I started watching Naruto, I really hated Itachi. However, further on in the series, I grew to admire the Uchiha and the sacrifices he made. Seeing him die again saddened me to no end. I sighed as I closed the laptop, stretching from where I was sitting cross-legged on my bed. I had been binge-watching Naruto for the past few months. I was obsessed with it, really. I had written several fanfictions and even had my character in the Naruto world all set up. Not to mention I had played almost every Naruto game and MMO out there. A little weird for a teenage guy, but what the hell. There are worse things out there.

I sighed and got up, stretching. My friends had got together and decided to throw a Naruto-themed party. It had grown from just a few of us to almost every teen in the city. We even had to rent out one of the biggest parks in town just to fit everyone. I had my costume all picked out, too. I had a Leaf headband that I wore around the neck, dark brown pants, sandles, and a sleeveless black shirt. I couldn't wait until tomorrow night, when I would be Ibukai, a Genin of the village Hidden in the Leaf. It was going to be awesome!

The next day...

"Tucker!" I turned to see Lauren, one of my friends from school, waving at me. She was about my height of 5' 4", and she had blonde hair and blue eyes, like me. She was skinnier than me, though. Like, tiny. Turn her sideways and you might not be able to see her, actually. I grinned and waved in response.

"Hey, Lauren!"

"You're coming tonight, aren't you?"

I grinned at her. "Of course I am! I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

She grinned in reply. "Oh, by the way, I'm bringing one of my other friends. You'll see him there."

I gave her a thumbs-up. "Sounds good to me! I'll see you there!"

I grinned as I walked into the park. It was already dark, and paper lanterns were hung up everywhere. The city lights were blocked out by all the trees, people dressed as vendors were everywhere, and people were talking as if they were actually in the Naruto universe. I grinned as I got dumplings on a stick from one of the vendors and walked down the path, munching on it. I was surprised to see that older people had turned up, but at the same time it made the picture more complete. The sights and sounds made it easy to forget that I wasn't in the Naruto universe.

"Hey, Tucker!"

I grinned as Lauren caught up to me, along with someone I didn't recognize.

I swallowed my dumpling. "Hey Lauren."

She grinned and dragged the guy forward. "This is..."

He stuck his hand out. "Miko, from the Stone village."

I shook it. "Ibukai of the Leaf."

He was about 5'9", with black hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in the traditional Stone village outfit and had his headband sewn onto his sleeve.

Lauren skipped along. "And Sepi from the Sand makes our squad complete!" She had her headband on top of her head, kind of like Sakura did. She was dressed in a dark purple outfit with no sleeves, dark purple pants, and a light blue sash around her waist. A large fan strapped to her back made her getup complete.

I chuckled. "Wow, we're a mismatched squad. The Leaf, Stone, and Sand villages all together. Nothing could go wrong at all."

We passed groups of friends all laughing together. To the left was a miss-matched group from the Stone and the Sand villages, and coming up the path towards us was a couple from the Leaf, arm in arm, grinning like fools. I waved to Natawnee and Amy, two girls from my school. All around us were vendors shouting their wares.

"Dumplings! Fried dumplings here!"

"Get your chicken here! Fried or roasted!"

"The best ramen here!"

We laughed when we heard someone shout from the crowd, "No way! Ichiraku ramen is the best, ever! Believe it!"

I grinned. "Man, someone sounds a lot like Naruto."

"Say, youngins, care to stop for a moment?" An old man stood next to his stand, a chest at his feet.

We all stopped and gathered around. Lauren was the first to speak up. "So, what are you selling?"

He chuckled. "Nothing but time, young shinobi."

We all glanced at each other. This time Miko spoke up. "Time? What do you mean?"

The old man bent down and took a scroll out of a chest. It was old and dusty, and when he rolled it out on the ground, all our eyes widened. It looked like the summoning scroll in Naruto, and we all gathered around eagerly. We started talking excitedly, straining to get a better look at it.

"Is that a summoning scroll?"

"No way! It looks so real, too!"

I looked at our small group. "We're gonna buy it, aren't we?"

Lauren and Miko nodded, their grins matching my own.

The old man chuckled. "Wait a moment, youngin. Don't be in such a rush. Dontcha want to try it out first?"

I raised an eyebrow. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Well, just do the handsigns and perform the summoning jutsu."

Okay, this guy was crazy. I think he took the party a little too seriously, but something in his eyes told me that he wouldn't let me off the hook until I did it.

I shrugged. "I don't know the handsigns."

He actually looked surprised. "You don't? Oh well, here. I'll show you."

He walked me through them, and then I put my palm on the scroll and said, "Summoning jutsu!"

We all took a deep breath...

...and nothing happened. I looked up, feeling foolish, but the old man was gone. I shook my head and stood up, facing the other three. "Well, that was a waste of time."

They nodded, and Lauren pouted. I patted her on the shoulder. "Hey, maybe it was delayed, ya know?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed me and Miko by the sleeves, dragging us along. "Come on, I'm hungry."

Later, after grabbing some chicken, we snuck a bottle of sake from a vendor and went into the quieter part of the park. We sat around eating and drinking and laughing.

I mimicked the old man. "Here, let me show you the summoning jutsu." I said, forming some random handsigns. We all laughed, each competing to see who could do a more hilarious summoning jutsu pose. By the time the bottle was gone, we were laughing hard enough to cry.

"This is what it should be like. Young ninja enjoying their youth."

"Guy, they aren't old enough to enjoy it with alchohol!"

"You're too hard on them, Kakashi."

We all looked over at the two speakers from some laying down position. For me, that meant laying flat on my back and looking up. The two speakers looked just like Kakashi and Guy, right down to the gravity-defying hair and bushy eyebrows. I didn't realize I had spoken out loud until Guy's mouth dropped open, Kakashi raised an eyebrow, and Lauren and Miko started laughing even harder. I just layed there, mouth open, realizing that it was a good thing that we weren't actually in the Naruto universe, or else I might receive a Chidori down the throat.

Kakashi knelt down, bewilderment in his voice. "Ibukai, exactly how much did you drink?"

I stilled. That was my name I used for myself in fanfictions, and this guy seemed to know me, but how in the hell was that possible? .Miko had stopped laughing as well, but he was curious more than anything. Lauren was still chuckling.

Guy sighed and struck a dramatic pose. "I'll never forgive myself for his behavior. That's it! I'm going to do five hundred laps around the village, right now!"

Kakashi started saying something about me not being Guy's student, but the sake had finally caught up to me. My eyelids started to shut, and the last thing I heard was the old man again. "Nothing but time, young shinobi. Nothing but time."

I woke up with a start, then I immediately wished I hadn't. My head was pounding, and I pushed my palm into my forehead, wishing that it would stop. Note to self: Don't drink that much sake next time.

I nearly screamed as I yanked my hand away from my forehead. I stared in shock at it, and I slowly wiggled my fingers, confirming that the little hands belonging to a twelve-year-old were indeed mine.

"Ibukai!"

I looked up and was immediately rendered speechless. Iruka-sensei was looking down at me, a concerned look on his face. Yes, THE Iruka-sensei, face scar and everything! All I could do was squeak.

He gently bent down and picked me up, setting me on my feet, his worried expression turning into a small smile. "You don't look hurt. Good thing, too. That was a nasty crash."

"Ir-Iruka?" I stammered.

His grin was immediately replaced by concern again. "Are you alright?"

I looked around, taking in the trees, Iruka-sensei (who shouldn't even exist) and my really really small body. "The world's spinning," I said, and I promptly passed out. Right before I hit the ground, I'm pretty sure I heard Iruka cursing. THAT certainly never happened in the manga or anime.

I awoke to someone shaking me. "Go away." I mumbled.

"Ibukai, wake up!"

I opened my eyes to see Lauren and Miko standing next to my...hospital bed? What in the hell?!

I sat up, head twisting rapidly. "Okay, what in the hell is going on?"

That's when I noticed that they looked WAY younger than they were supposed to. I mean, like…

...kids…

"Explanation, now." I growled.

She fidgeted. "You know how you did the whole summoning jutsu thing?"

My mouth dropped open. "No."

"Yea." Miko confirmed. "You've been out for a week. We-"

I leapt off the bed and fairly flew towards the window. Sure enough, the faces of the Hokages stared back at me.

Lauren held up her hands. "Now, Tucker, I know it's a lot to take in but-"

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


	2. My family?

_*Hey guys! This story is a little slow getting started, I know. Sorry about that. It will pick up here shortly. As always, reviews are appreciated. I will be rapidly posting updates for awhile, seeing as how I already have a ton of this story written on my google drive. I don't own Naruto. Yet.*_

I sat on my hospital bed, much, much later, having finally calmed down. Miko looked at me, worried I might freak out again, and Lauren amused herself by setting up a trap for the next unfortunate orderly to walk through the door.

"So, we play by their rules until we figure out how in the hell to undo this. Right? Ibukai? Sepi?"

We had decided to call each other by our Naruto names as to not raise suspicion. Apparently, Shikamaru had called Miko his cousin, and Sepi was claimed by Ino as her sister. Their looks matched their clans, but for the life of us, we couldn't figure out what clan I was from. I had grey hair and blackish eyes. As far as we knew, I wasn't from a shinobi clan. I shook those thoughts away and focused on the task on hand.

"Are you kidding?" Sepi said. "I love it here!"

I sighed. "Yes, Miko, we'll find a way to reverse it."

"Aww…" Sepi pouted.

The door slid open, and the wad of...I don't even wanna guess...went flying at Iruka-sensei. He was partly turned around, talking to someone behind him, and was hit squarely in the head. He whirled around, fixing his glare on Sepi.

"SEPI!"

"EEP! Angry Iruka-sensei! Later, guys!" She yelled as she leapt out the first-story window and took off running, Iruka hot on her heels.

None other than the famous Kakashi Hatake walked through the doors, chuckling to himself as he watched Iruka chase after Sepi.

He turned to me, and I fiddled with the covers of the bed, avoiding looking at him. What? You expected me to look up and say, 'Oh, hello character from an imaginary world! I don't know where I'm supposed to go right now!' Yea, I'll pass.

"Miko, Shikamaru is waiting for you outside." He said, and Miko was the picture of a Nara as he got up, thrust his hands in his pockets, and walked outside with a lazy nod. Kakashi looked back at me, and this time I did meet his gaze.

"Iruka told me you lost part of your memory."

OHTHANKJASHIN!

I nodded. "Yep."

"Do you remember your name? Family? Anything?"

"Ibukai. That's about it. I remember Sepi and Miko, and kids that I know, but I don't remember how I know them." I said. That was at least partly true, right?

He nodded. "That's good, at least. Come on, I'll take you home."

I was out the door in a flash. "Alright! Let's get outta here."

I heard his resigned sigh and grinned.

I craned my head, trying to take everything in while listening to Kakashi. I learned that I was in the Academy, same class as Naruto, and that I was a Kokori, a civilian family that ran a bakery shop. My father was Toru Kokori, and my mother was Shena. We stopped in front of the bakery, now closed for the night, and Kakashi nodded at it.

"Here we are. Remember to go to class tomorrow."

I nodded and took a deep breath, opening the door. Shutting it behind me, I headed for the steps in the back of the shop which lead up to the second story where my family and I lived. Hesitating at the top of the stairs, I swallowed nervously and opened the door.

"Hello?" I called out.

A woman came flying around the corner, sweeping me up in a bone-crunching hug.

"Ibukai, you're home! Your father and I have been so worried about you! Your teacher said that you had an accident and had lost your memory! Are you alright?!"

"Can't...breathe…" I managed, and she set me down, kneeling and looking over me to make sure that I was in one peace. I sucked in a huge lungful of air before studying the woman in front of me. She looked to be in her late 20's, straight black hair, with a short, thin stature. She apparently finished her inspection and smiled at me with relief evident in her eyes.

"Mom, I'm alright." I assured her. "I...kinda ran into a tree."

She hugged me again, cutting off my oxygen supply. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Shena, let him breathe." A man said from behind her, and she stood up, dusting herself off.

"Hmph!" She replied, but she had to hide her smile to make it convincing. My dad was a little taller than my mom. He was a little fatter, too, and covered in flour. He had short, spiky gray hair, and wore glasses over his onyx eyes.

That explains where I got my looks.

"Hi, dad." I said.

He nodded at me. "Glad to see you safe, Ibukai. Is it true what your teacher said? Did you lose your memory?"

I nodded as I slipped off my sandals. "It's worse than it sounds, though. I just forgot details and specifics, like daily routines and where places are and stuff."

He nodded, clearly relieved. "That definitely could be worse. Now, come on. Your mother is making ramen tonight, your favorite. Your bedroom is the second door on the right."

I grinned at him and headed to my room to get a good look at it. It was slowly sinking in that, no, I was not dreaming, and yes, this was actually the Naruto world. I opened my door and grinned again.

Ninja tools hung from one wall, an assortment of kunai and shuriken coupled with senbon and carefully rolled wire. A pouch of smoke bombs also hung from the wall, as well as a couple tanto blades. Several scrolls and a shitload of books were on the shelves, and they ranged from novels to chakra control and the history of different nations. One was not on my shelves, however, and instead lay on my pillow, clearly repeatedly read. I hopped on my bed and looked at it curiously.

The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, it read, and I had to clamp both my hands over my mouth to stop from screaming in excitement. Without further ado, ignoring absolutely everything else, I plopped on my stomach, opened to page 1, and started reading.


	3. School again!

_*Well, here we go. Chapter 3. Feel free to help me plot about how I'm gonna take Naruto from Kishimoto. Reviews are always helpful!*_

"Well, it's good to see that you haven't changed."

I looked up, broken from my book to see my mother standing in the doorway, smiling.

I looked from her, to the book, and back to her again.

"What can I say, it's a good book, ya know?" I said nervously.

She laughed gently and sat next to me, rubbing my head.

"You know, it was that book that made you want to be a ninja." She said, smiling.

"It was?" I asked, eyes wide.

She laughed again, nodding. She's a lot like Kushina. I thought to myself, smiling at her.

"Yes, it was. We went to the bookstore one day, not long after you learned to read. It was when you were about, oh, three, so about four years ago now. You completely skipped the children's books, going straight for the novels. That one was lying, abandoned, in the very back of the bookstore, in a dusty old corner. You zeroed in on it, picked it up, sat down, and started reading. I don't think you even realized when your father picked you up and carried you home, you were so deeply embroiled in the book. For two days, you read it, and then re-read it again. Finally, you closed the book, sat it down, and announced to your father and I that you wanted to become a ninja!"

She laughed at that. "I don't think we've ever been so surprised in our lives! Our baby boy, saying that he wanted to become a ninja! Well, I was dead-set against it, but your father simply went and signed you up for the academy. You should have seen the look on your face when you went to your first day there! You were clutching that book so tightly, I was afraid you were going to tear it! But, no, you went there, came home, and went straight to your room. I came in to your room to find you on your bed, a huge smile on your face, reading your book again. The next day, you fairly ran out the door to go to the academy. You got home, bubbling with excitement, telling your father and I all about it. I realized then that you had your heart set on it, and all I could do was support you."

Her eyes were a little sad now, but I understood why. Her child was going into a very deadly career, and all she could do was sit on the sidelines and cheer me on. I sat up and gave her a hug.

"Don't worry, momma. I'll be alright, I promise."

She wiped away a tear, hugging me back, before standing up and clearing her throat.

"Dinner is ready, so come on out and eat. You have a big day tomorrow!"

Crap oh crapcrapcrap I'm late!

I slid around the corner, running as fast as I could for the academy. I had slept through my alarm clock and had woken up to my mother shaking me awake. Hastily, I had grabbed breakfast and took off, racing towards where I hoped like hell the academy was from the directions my mother had given me.

Sure enough, the building came in view, and I raced through the door, slamming right into a orange ball of mischief.

He was followed by a cackling Sepi, who hauled him up and kept running, almost dragging him along.

"HI IBUKAI BYE IBUKAI!" They yelled as they dashed out the door.

My unspoken question was answered by a pink powder-covered Iruka chasing after them, yelling at the top of his lungs.

Well, at least I can slip in unnoticed now.

I sighed and opened up my classroom's door, immediately spotting Miko next to Shikamaru. He lazily waved at me, and I waved back, heading up to claim my seat next to him.

"You see those two on your way in?" He asked as I claimed a seat at the desk below him.

"Followed by a very angry-looking Iruka-sensei that sported a new look?"

"Yep."

I chuckled. "They let me get in here without being noticed, so I'm not gonna say anything."

He smirked.

"Ibukai, did you really run into a tree?"

Kiba came walking up, smirking. I glared at him. "It's the tree's fault for not moving."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Wow, you really are dumber than you look."

I slowly stood up. "What was that?" I hissed.

Shikamaru sighed. "Kiba, Ibukai, knock it off." He said. Then, in a lower voice, "What a drag."

I glared at Kiba once more before dropping back into my seat.

"Get a move on, pup." I said to him, earning a glare as he moved off.

Shikamaru snorted. "I don't know why you two always fight."

I shrugged as Iruka-sensei came in, dragging a very unhappy-looking Naruto and Sepi. I couldn't help but give them a thumbs-up. Iruka-sensei saw it and sighed.

"You two, go back to your desks. Now, if everyone wants to open their books to chapter 4, we can continue learning about the history of the Five Great Nations."

This was gonna be a long day.


	4. Lemme hit that stupid tree!

_*Hey guys! Short chapter, I know, so I'll do another one today. I'll work on updating about one chapter a day, since that will give me plenty of time to write. Again, reviews are amazing. Oh, exciting news. I have a follower! Someone favorited my story! You know who you are, so give yourself a humongous chocolate cake as a reward! Without further ado: Chapter 4. P.S. I want to take Naruto from Kishimoto. Ideas?*_

"Mother fucking fucker!" I hissed at my dismal attempts to throw a shuriken. We were at the practice field in the afternoon when I discovered I had absolutely no talent for throwing projectiles. Kunai, well, at least those HIT the target, albeit at an angle and none of them actually sticking, but shuriken? Hah! Kill me now.

I growled as my flurry of shuriken hit everywhere BUT the target, one of them even clanging off a rock and shooting back at me.

With a screech, I hit the dirt, only to hear a clang and a shout of outrage come from behind me.

I turned around to see Iruka-sensei glaring at me, a kunai in his hand and my shuriken at his feet. He had barely managed to draw it in time to keep from getting skewered.

I chuckled nervously as I sat up, scratching the back of my head. "Uh, hi, Iruka-sensei."

He glared at me. "Really, Ibukai?"

"It's not my fault I suck." I muttered, dusting myself off.

He sighed and walked off, muttering about how even Naruto was better than I was. It was, admittedly, sadly true. At least Naruto HIT the target.

Sepi laughed as she walked up behind me. "Wow, you really suck."

"Not you, too." I groaned, picking up my shuriken that were everywhere BUT embedded in the target. In a huff of frustration, I punched the target.

"Why can't I hit it?!" I yelled.

She raised an eyebrow. "How did that feel?"

I glared at her, and Miko laughed, walking up next to her.

"Not you, too." I said, almost pleading.

He wore a smirk. "What? I wasn't saying anything."

"Alright everyone, inside!" Iruka called. "The final lesson today will be about the history of the Leaf Village's clans!"

Sepi threw her arm over Hinata's shoulders. "Come on, let's figure out how to prank Iruka-sensei during this."

"B-b-but we can't!" The shy girl protested.

"Come on," Sepi said conspiratorially, "Naruto's going to help."

Hinata's cheeks went beet-red. "B-b-b-b-but-"

"No arguments!" Sepi said cheerfully. "Naruto, get over here!"

"Where's Ibukai?" Miko said thoughtfully, coming up on Sepi's other side. "Furthermore, why are you torturing our poor sensei? He didn't ask to deal with you."

"HEY!"

"It's true!"

No one noticed Ibukai, frowning with concentration, taking up his stance in front of the shuriken targets again, pulling back his arm, and letting it fly…

...and cursing as it missed again.

No one, that is, besides the cloaked figure hidden in a tree.

I dropped onto my back on top of the Fourth Hokage's head.

"I'm never going to get the hang of it." I groaned, laying an arm over my eyes.

"Cheer up." Sepi said, smiling. Apparently, Iruka-sensei had been at the butt end of a...rather messy paint prank that I had missed due to practicing with shuriken. She, needless to say, had promptly filled me in on all the details.

"I can't believe you dragged poor Hinata in on it." I said for about the millionth time.

"She wasn't caught! Besides, it was good for her and Naruto to bond!"

I glared at her. "Stop shipping them."  
"Never!"

Miko sighed. "How much more of you guys do I have to deal with?"

We looked at each other and grinned. "Forever!" We chorused at the same time.

He groaned.


	5. Help from an ANBU?

*Alright, here is the second half of the double update I promised. Sadly, Kishimoto is refusing to give up the ownership of Naruto.*

One year later…

"DAMMIT!"

"Ibukai, please be quieter when you miss!" Iruka-sensei shouted at me. I was tempted to throw a kunai at him, but with my luck I'd miss and hit Hinata or somebody. Instead, I settled with grumbling at throwing the kunai without any real effort. We had been here a year, and graduation was coming up fast. I settled easily into the bookwork and even taijutsu, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't hit a damn thing with a thrown weapon. Hell, I even tried senbons! Smoke bombs were easier, but I just never could get them quite where I wanted them.

Sepi chuckled. "Are you skipping out on the afternoon session again?"

"Depends." I replied. "Are you pranking Iruka-sensei again?"

"It's a boring lesson."

I sighed. "Math is necessary."

"Hence why you're skipping it."

I sighed. "Touche. Yes, I'm skipping it. I gotta at least HIT the target before I go inside."

"Well, hurry up. Graduation is in a month and I'm fairly certain you need to hit the target at least once to pass."

"Thanks for the support and kind words of sagely advice." I said dryly. "Get outta here."

She stuck her tongue out at me and headed back inside with the rest of the group as Iruka-sensei walked up to me.

"Are you sure you have the lesson down?" He asked me.

I nodded, readying another kunai. "Yes, sensei. I have to at least hit the target to pass the test, right? This is more important than math right now."

He sighed. "I really wish I could help you more. However, your grip is correct and your technique is excellent. I really don't understand why you are so bad at this."

"Thaaaannnnkkkssss." I said dryly. "Me either, actually. By all accounts, I should be hitting it, right?"

He nodded and headed towards the door to go back inside the building. "Just don't stay too late tonight, alright? Don't want your parents to worry."

I waved him off. "I won't." I said before throwing the kunai.

Good news: Perfect bullseye.

Bad news: The target I was aiming for was three targets away from the one I hit.

"Mother fucking-!"

Several hours later, the situation had NOT improved.

"Jashin dammit!"

"A child should really not be using that kind of language." A low voice came from behind me.

Whirling, I let loose a barrage of shuriken. To attest to my wonderful accuracy: The robed figure with a ANBU mask was ten feet away from me, and I threw seven shuriken. None of them even came close to hitting the figure.

I sweatdropped.

He (I'm certain from the voice it was a guy) facepalmed.

"Have you tried imbuing your ninja tools with chakra?"

I glared at the offending intruder. "Of course I have! I'm near the top of my class in chakra control." I glanced back at the target, wilting slightly. "It just...doesn't work."

"Then stop attempting."

I turned around. "Wha-"

I screeched as he threw several shuriken at me, almost point-blank range. They freaking went AROUND ME and embedded themselves in the center of the target.

I sighed. "Can you please find a less flashy way of demonstrating how much I suck?" I asked, hanging my head. He knelt down and put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you have no talent for one thing, attempt something else. You have been trying to throw shurikens for years, yes? Have you ever gotten any better?"

I slowly shook my head.

He nodded. "Then try something else. Have you any talent at jutsu?"

I winced. "Um, a little at Ninjutsu? I'm average at Taijutsu, but Genjutsu…" I trailed off.

He nodded. "Then do what you feel most comfortable with?"

"Ninjutsu." I decided.

"Then learn Ninjutsu and continue with your chakra control. If a shuriken fails, use a fire style. If you can't hit your enemy with a kunai, a lightning style will do the trick. If one thing doesn't work, try another."

I looked up, but he was gone as if he had never been there.

"What. The. Fuck?"

"I'm home." I called out, carrying a scroll I had borrowed from Sepi.

My mother was in the kitchen doing dishes when I walked in.

"Hello, Ibukai. How was your- what's that?"

I held it up proudly. "A scroll that's gonna teach me the Fireball Jutsu."

My poor mother almost had a heart attack.

"Wha-What?!"

"It's okay!" I said. "It's just a small one, and since I can't hit anything with projectiles, it's how I'm gonna ace my graduation exam."

My father walked in. "A jutsu, huh? I didn't know they taught you those when you were in the academy."

"Only small ones." I said. "I borrowed this from a friend since I can't throw kunai or shuriken at all."

My mother was still staring at me in disbelief, and my father glanced from her to me.

"Ibukai, give us a minute, will you?"  
I nodded and was all too happy to flee to my room and leave my dad to deal with my mother.

"He's just a child, Toru!" She said. "He shouldn't be learning how to fight, let alone how to spit fireballs, or whatever it is!"

Toru pulled his wife in for a hug. "It's alright, dear."

She pulled back, her usually cheerful green eyes filled with worry. "No, it's not! What if we end up burying our baby boy?! What then?!"

He smiled gently, brushing her hair over one of her ears. "We need to understand that he's different than us. All shinobi are. It's because of them that we can live in peace and safety here in Konoha. Our son decided that he wanted to be one of those people that protects us. He dreams of it. You know as well as I do how much he loves that book, and the academy, and his friends. Yes, it's getting dangerous now, but we knew that would happen when he started out. We have to trust our son, trust that he is strong enough to take care of himself."

"But he's just a little boy!"

Toru's voice was gentle, but firm. "And if we stop him now, he will never become a man."

She sighed and buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm scared."

He nodded, stroking her hair. "I am too. However, you know as well as I do that he would be miserable as a civilian. He wants this, more than anything. We made a promise to them to support him, and we need to uphold that promise now."


	6. My dream?

_*Hey guys. Shorter chapter today, so sorry about that. We're almost to the first of what I consider the 'good parts.' On that note, I have decided that I will be updating 1 chapter every weekday. Well, actually, I give you choice of three options. Keep in mind that I have about 60k words on my google drive document, okay? Now, I can 1: update one chapter every weekday, 2: update one chapter every day, including the weekends, or 3: update 2 chapters per weekday. Once I get caught up to what I have posted on here and what I have on my google drive, I'll have to slow down on the updating, but right now I have a lot of material, and since you guys are the ones waiting for the updates, I leave the choice up to you! P.S. I still need help with deciding how to take Naruto from Kishimoto. Final word, I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME figure out how to separate lines, so I have placeholder dots to seperate it. Sorry!*_

I sighed, sitting at Ichiraku's Ramen with Sepi and Naruto. Hinata sat on my other side, glancing at Naruto every few minutes and growing red every time she did.

"Dammit!" I finally yelled, throwing my hands in the air and freaking out everybody within hearing range. "I need to find someone to help me with my Taijutsu, and I REFUSE to go to...HIM!"

"You mean G-"

I clasped my hands over her mouth. "Don't say it." I hissed. "HE might hear."

She pushed my hands away. "Geez, fine. What are you going to do?"

I shrugged. "I've got no clue."

... ... ...

"What's the matter, Ibukai? You're hardly eating. Tomorrow is graduation day, isn't it? You need to eat up to be ready for it."

I sighed and rested my chin on the table. "It doesn't matter. My Ninjutsu will be fine, and my Taijutsu, even though it isn't great, is passable. My Genjutsu sucks, I can't use projectiles to save my life, and I can't even use the Fireball Jutsu I learned. It's gonna take a miracle for me to pass. Even Naruto ranks higher in the class than I do."

Shena gave me a gentle smile. "Now, what is it that you're always saying? About not giving up on your dreams?"

I sighed. "I say, 'Our dreams make us who we are. If we give up on them, then we lose the purpose of our lives. Even if your dream is impossible, strive for it, because in the end, it's our dreams that keep us strong.'"

"And where is that from?"

I couldn't help but smile from her needling. "It's from The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi."

She beamed at me. "Exactly! Now, as long as you try your hardest, it won't matter if you pass or fail. It only matters that you tried your best, right?"

"Your mother is right, son. Pass or fail, we're still going to be proud of you." Toru said.

I finally gave in and smiled back. "Alright. I'll try my best."

"That's my boy!" My dad grinned at me. "Now, eat up. You've got a big day tomorrow!"

... ... ...

 _"Well then, I'm going to break that curse. If there is such a thing as true peace in this world, then I'm going to find it one day!"_

 _"W-who are you?"_

 _"My name...is Naruto!"_

I closed my book, looking over the village from where I sat upon the Fourth Hokage's head as the moon shone down. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"You should be getting rest."

That same ANBU…

"Why the interest?" I asked without turning around. "You're awfully considerate. I mean, aren't ANBU the elite of the village? Why concern yourself with an academy student who is most likely gonna fail?"

He settled beside me, his hood still pulled up so I could only see his mask.

Where have I seen that pattern and heard that voice before?

"You are a fool to think yourself weak."

I let out a bark of laughter. "You're kidding, right? Bottom of my class, right across the board."

"Even in bookwork?"

I waved that aside. "Of course I do good in that. That's the easy stuff. But any jutsu? I have the academy stuff down 'cause it's simply. I can walk on trees 'cause I have good chakra control. But anything else? Yea, right. I have the chakra control, but my chakra just doesn't do what I tell it to!"

He looked up at the stars. "What is your dream?"

I looked at him curiously. "To become a shinobi, I guess." I said slowly.

"But why?"

"To protect my friends and family." What is this guy up to?

"But why?"

I thought about it. Finally, after a good while, I spoke. "Because I hate being on the sidelines. I hate it when other people have to protect me, and when I can't protect others. What's the point if everyone has to do stuff for you?"

He finally nodded. "Then you are sure of what you're doing?"

I nodded firmly.

"Then you will do fine. Believe in yourself."

"Who are you?" I asked quietly.

"A friend." Was his only reply.


	7. This is the Exam?

_*Hey guys! Here is the next chapter. Rather long, so I hope you guys enjoy. As usual, please do some reviews, especially if you don't like something. I don't know what to change if I don't get feedback. Or, if you feel like I'm doing a good job, let me know. Also, I currently have a plan enacted to take Naruto and make it my own. It's called the hopefully-find-some-form-of-catastrophic-blackmail-on-Kishimoto-and-force-him-to-sign-the-Naruto-series-over-to-me. The name should be self-explanatory. Without further ado, please enjoy!*_

I took a deep breath as I looked at the entrance to the academy. One way or the other, it would be the last time I walked in here for a class. It ended today. I just hoped I would pass.

I nodded at Sepi and Miko as I walked inside the classroom, noting that everyone was actually there on time. Amazing.

"Alright, everyone, quiet down." Iruka said. "It's time to take your final exam."

Anyone says that the test was just creating a clone, like in the series, they're dead wrong. It includes EVERYTHING that we learned. A written test is given out in the morning to all students. Then, each student is individually tested for skill in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu, as well as skill with projectiles. You don't know until they call out your names at the very end of the day whether or not you succeeded, or if you failed. If you failed, but not by too much, you got to repeat a year and try again. However, Iruka-sensei carefully explained that if you failed too badly, you were given the choice between completely retaking the academy or dropping out and becoming a civilian.

The simple fact was my family couldn't afford to put me through the academy a second time. If I failed, that was it. I took a deep breath and picked up my pencil.

 _I can't lose!_

 _... ... ..._

Foot: Please meet mouth.

Math: Failed.

History: …Too much writing...Fairly certain I passed.

I was cringing by the time I was done. How the hell am I supposed to know how to calculate for the wind speed affecting the shuriken's travel to hit the bull's-eye? I couldn't even hit the bull's-eye normally!

Naruto looked as nervous as I was. Student after student finished and went to their evaluations, and finally it was my turn.

Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-bastard-sensei looked at me expectantly. "Alright, Ibukai Kokori. First, throwing ninja tools. You may begin."

There was a table with a ton of shuriken, kunai, and senbons covering it in groups of 5, just beyond them was a group of targets.

"Please throw five sets of five." Iruka said. "It can be the ninja tool of your choice."

I winced. Not even that helped. I shrugged, picked up some shurikens, and let them fly.

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU EVEN MANAGE THAT?!" Mizuki-sensei yelled at me. Regrettably, none of them actually hit him, but the sad part was that Iruka and Mizuki were 90 degrees away from the targets, and yet four of the 25 shurikens almost hit them. Not one shuriken even hit the targets, either.

 _A stormtrooper shoots straighter than I throw…_

"Moving on." Iruka said, acting like nothing happened. "Genjutsu."

"I don't have any talent." I said.

He nodded. "How about breaking them?"

I shrugged, so he placed me in a fucking Genjutsu. Asshole.

I stared at the person in front of me. "You gotta be kidding me."

 _Sadistic…_

"Ibukai." The greasy voice of Orochimaru reached me.

"DIE PEDOSNAKE!" I yelled, letting loose a barrage of punches and kicks that went right through him.

 _Right, Genjutsu._

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. This...this was a killing intent?

 _Fuck! It's not real! Breathe! Break it!_

My eyes widened as I took a step back, trying to fluctuate my chakra levels, anything. It didn't work. Suddenly, he was right in front of me, and I froze.

"Come to me." He hissed, and I screamed.

"IBUKAI!" Iruka-sensei yelled at me, and I dropped to the floor, sucking in lungful after lungful of air.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" I yelled at him.

He sighed. "The Genjutsu was designed to create your biggest fear. How you dealt with it determined whether or not you passed this test."

"Fuck you." I spit. "That was some Ibiki-style bullshit right there."

He sighed. "The Taijutsu portion is next."

Mizuki walked in front of me. "Just score a hit on me. You don't actually need to, but it's better if you-"

His breath was driven from him by my palm in his gut. Iruka-sensei blinked as Mizuki collapsed on the floor, clutching his stomach. I took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Sorry, Mizuki-sensei." I said. "You just happened to be the byproduct of my reaction to Iruka-sensei's sadistic Genjutsu."

He groaned as he stood up. "That was a wicked hit, kid."

I smirked and turned to Iruka. "Next?"

He hid a smile. "Alright. Ninjutsu. Transformation."

I took a deep breath and gathered my chakra. Then…

"Time to prank Iruka-sensei!" The Naruto-me yelled. "Believe it!"

Iruka-sensei visibly flinched from that one. "Next."

Poof. I transformed back into myself and created three clones of myself, all grinning at each other.

"And substitution?"

I released the clones. "Substitution jutsu!"

And nothing happened.

"What the hell?" I asked looking around. Of course NOW it doesn't work.

"Dammit! Substitution jutsu!" Same result.

Finally, third try, it actually worked as I switched places with one of the practice targets.

Iruka-sensei sighed. "That is all."

I nodded and walked out of the room.

Sepi and Miko immediately came running up to me. "How did you do?!" Sepi practically yelled at me.

I shrugged. "Not that great. I might have made it though."

 _Later…_

"Pass: Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame, Choji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka…"

 _Call me call me call me…_

One by one, as their names were called, my classmates walked forward and collected their headbands. Iruka read off name after name after name from his list.

 _Please for the love of Jashin call me…_

"...and Sepi Yamanaka."

I was sitting frozen as the last name was read off.

I didn't make it?

My heart sunk. After everything, years of training, everything I did, nothing worked. I failed. Quietly, I stood up and slipped out the back of the classroom.

"Ibukai!"

I had just exited the building when Iruka-sensei came running up to me.

"Your scores just weren't high enough." He said apologetically. "Another year and you'll be able to make it."

I gave him a small smile. _Except I can't afford that._

"See you later, Iruka-sensei." I said, and walked off.


	8. Naruto and Mizuki!

_*So, here is the next updated chapter. I haven't got any responses back on how often I should update (imagine a really sad face, please) so I'll just continue the way I am now. If it's a shorter chapter, though, then I will probably update two chapters, considering I'm making the chapters almost as fast as I'm posting them, especially when I'm on a role. Without further ado, Chapter 8!*_

I didn't go home. Instead, I went and sat on the Fourth Hokage's head and watched the moon rise over the village. I sat for hours, silently.

"Well, today sucked." I said to the moon. As I expected, there was no answer. I glared at it. Even Naruto became…

 _FUCK ME!_

I leapt up. NARUTO! How could I have forgotten?! _DAMMIT!_

My weapons were at home. There was no way I could run back and grab them, because if I judged it correctly, I needed to find Naruto like _right fucking now!_

I took off, heading in what I hoped was the right direction.

... ... ...

Please, whatever is listening, please don't let me be too late.

I leapt from branch to branch, stopping occasionally to listen.

 _Dammit!_

"Come on, guys." I whispered. "Where are you?"

"Look out!" I heard Iruka-sensei yell.

 _There! Please oh please, don't let me be late._

Another yell, this one more desperate, hurting. "NARUTO!"

 _NO!_

 _... ... ..._

 _THERE!_

I came sliding to a stop in the trees above where Iruka and Mizuki were talking. Iruka was clearly hurt, sitting down and braced against a tree. Mizuki was smirking, and even though I couldn't hear what he was saying, I could guess.

 _Dammit, I have to do something!_

Mizuki unhitched the giant shuriken from his back and lunged towards Iruka…

And like a flash, Naruto was there, kicking Mizuki with all of his might, and Mizuki's shuriken went flying into the sky…

...right towards me.

 _JASHIN DAMMIT, NARUTO! ...You know what, to hell with it._

With a shrug, I lunged towards it, too.

... ... ...

"If you ever lay a finger on my sensei again, I'll kill you!" Naruto snarled.

 _Now!_

I flipped my body in mid-air, grabbing onto the inside of the giant shuriken and yanking it around with me.

"RETURNING-"

Iruka looked up.

"-TO-"

Mizuki looked around.

"-SENDER-"

Naruto formed the seal for his shadow clones.

"-MOTHER-"

Mizuki looked up as well.

"-FUCKER!"

He grinned when he saw who threw it, then his face went white when he noticed two things:

Number 1: The shuriken (FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE) was heading straight for him.

Number 2: Naruto (and about a thousand clones) were heading for him as well.

Of course, Naruto went about kicking his ass, but I realized one very important thing rather belatedly: if you're a hundred feet in the air, no matter how well you throw a giant shuriken and give the main hero of the story an opening, you'll still be a hundred feet in the air.

 _Shitfuckdammitfuckershit!_

Twisting around, I yanked out a kunai. Channeling chakra to my hands and feet, I gripped the kunai in both hands and planted both it and my feet firmly on the tree. Of course, it took another fifty feet to slow down and stop, and about fifty billion splinters later, but hey, I still stopped.

I took a deep breath before daring to glance down. Iruka had just given Naruto his headband, and they were both hugging.

"Hello?!" I called out. "Nice teacher-student moment of acceptance, and I know that I only threw a shuriken, but a little help please?"

Iruka-sensei looked up. "Ibukai, what in the-? Hold on."

"Easy for you to say." I grumbled.

... ... ...

We all sat around the base of the tree, looking at the rising sun.

"So Naruto, congratulations on passing." I said, smiling. "Even if you did it a more...unorthodox way."

He grinned at me, but then his face fell. "What about you?"

I waved it off, plucking yet _another_ splinter out of my skin. "It's probably best that I don't become a ninja. I don't think I exactly have what it takes, you know?"

"What makes you say that?!"

I sighed. "Well, when Mizuki tried killing Iruka-sensei, I just stood there, frozen. You're the one who jumped in and saved him. Let's face it," I added with a laugh, "I'm the weakest one out of the entire class. I'd probably get in the way."

Iruka-sensei chuckled. "Probably."

We looked at him as he continued. "You don't do good in most things, and you constantly get in the way. You try to constantly improve, but it really goes nowhere."

"Now wait a minute, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled.

"I wasn't finished, Naruto!" Iruka snapped before turning back to me. "For example, you can't throw a shuriken or kunai to save your life. However, even if you suck, you always try. Despite your failings, you always try to help others. For example, you came out here tonight because you wanted to help your friend, right?"

"Well, yea." I admitted.

"Exactly. You may have been the weakest, but you were still there, and you distracted Mizuki long enough for Naruto to take him down. Plus," he said, grinning, "you actually threw a shuriken straight. Ibukai, I think that I was wrong. You WILL make a great ninja. You both officially pass!"

I just sat there in stunned silence for a minute as what Iruka-sensei said sunk in.

 _I'm...a shinobi._

My vision blurred and I rubbed the moisture from my eyes.

"Stupid splinters." I said as an excuse before Iruka-sensei pulled both Naruto and I into a hug.

"I'm proud of you both, you know." He said.

 _DAMMIT, SENSEI! AT LEAST LET ME CRY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF DIGNITY!_

Too late.


	9. My team

_*I HAVE ANOTHER FOLLOWER! Plus, there is now over 100 views on my story! Everyone, give yourselves a HOMOGENEOUS pat on the back! To hell with it, give yourselves a hug from me! As a special treat, I will write an omake of the prank Naruto did that Sepi pulled Hinata into. It won't be long, but I'll post it tomorrow. I figure something like that every milestone that this story reaches is a good reward for you guys, but I'll think up a better one. Cheers!*_

I walked into our classroom (admittedly a little bit woozy from lack of sleep) sporting a brand-new headband tied around my neck.

"Ibukai!" Sepi called out. "You graduated?!"

I gave her a tired grin. "Yea. Naruto and I both did."

Sepi looked towards where Naruto was showing off his new headband to Shikamaru. "Figures" She mumbled. "I missed the action."

I chuckled and sat down at an empty desk. Strangely enough, Sasuke sat behind me, adopting his usual emo-boy pose.

 _...No…_

Someone started talking about Sasuke, and Naruto slammed his hand down on the desk. "What's so great about Sasuke?" He yelled out, leaping onto the table in front of Sasuke…

...and directly behind me.

Sepi and I locked eyes, and as realization dawned in her eyes, I grinned, leaned back…

...and bumped Naruto in the back with my elbow.  
The entire room fell SILENT. I put on a neutral expression and looked back. It was so much better than I had hoped. It wasn't just the accidental kiss that we all knew and loved, it was the Naruto-was-still-yelling-and-Sasuke-was-opening-his mouth-to-reply kiss.

I am so going to hell.

I even almost felt sorry for the beat-down Naruto received from Sasuke's fangirls as a result. Almost.

... ... ...

"Alright, everyone, listen up for your assigned teams." Iruka-sensei called out, ignoring the thoroughly beaten body of Naruto laying in the back of the room.

I didn't pay much attention until he called my name. "Team 6 consists of Ibukai Kokori, Sepi Yamanaka, and Miko Nara."

"YES!" Sepi yelled, leaping up and doing fist pump of victory. Miko sighed and I facepalmed. Iruka only slightly cringed before continuing through the rest of the teams, which came out as the same as the anime. I was glad that the original teams got to stick together, but there was only one thing that I was wondering…

 _Who was going to be our sensei?_

I yawned. The only two teams left in the room was our team and Team 7. It had been at least three hours since the last sensei had come, and I was annoyed. Needless to say, and annoyed Ibukai and Naruto mixed with a mischievous Sepi?

Yea, you can figure out what happened next.

Well, the chalkboard eraser was a given, but we decided to spice it up.

"What if they come through a window?" I asked.

In reply, Sepi pulled out some paper bombs, and my eyes widened.

"HEY!" Sakura yelled as we started plastering them onto the windows. "Are you trying to kill us or our sensei?!"

"Or something." Miko grunted, watching us.

"Let's put one on the eraser." I suggested, and Sepi's face lit up with a huge grin.

Sasuke took notice of what we were doing as Naruto carefully replaced the eraser with the paper bomb firmly attached to it. I chewed my lip thoughtfully.

"You think that that'll kill them?"

"If it does, they don't deserve to teach us." Sepi said happily. Naruto chuckled and threw his hands behind his head.

"Of course! Believe it!"

I was opening my mouth to say something else when the said paper bomb suddenly floated down in between the three of us, and I had just enough time to screech before it exploded. Of course, this was Sepi we were talking about, so it was just a flashbang. Unfortunately, it set off every other flashbang off, and everyone in the room got blinded. By the time the ringing stopped and I could see, a kunai was at my throat with a very, very happy looking Anko behind it.

 _Shit._

She grinned wildly. "This year's Genin are gonna be so much fun!"

I cleared my throat nervously. "Uh, are you our sensei?"

She stood up and put the kunai away, brushing off the imaginary dust on her sleeves like nothing had happened. "Ibukai Kokori, Miko Nara, and," (I swear her grin grew at this part) "Sepi Yamanaka, come with me."

I got up, picked up my tanto from where it had fallen next to me, and waved at Team 7. "Catchya later."

Sasuke ignored me, Sakura gave a wave, and Naruto thrust his fist out. "Our team is gonna be stronger than yours, believe it!"

I laughed before walking over and bumping fists with him. "I don't doubt it one bit."


	10. Pranking Omake

_*Since you guys are so awesome, here is the omake I promised to you guys yesterday. Enjoy!*_

Naruto grinned. Sepi was helping him plan his next super-awesome prank, and they had chosen an extra-special target.

"But how are we gonna do that?" Naruto finally asked. "We don't know where it is."

Sepi gave her signature evil cackle. "Oh, I found out. And besides, we are gonna have some extra help so we don't get caught."

They were waiting outside the Academy for whoever that 'extra help' was. Naruto shrugged in acceptance. Sepi usually came up with really good pranks, and they didn't get caught when they followed her plans to the letter. If she had chosen extra help, then they would be worth it.

"There!" Sepi squealed happily, moving to intercept Hinata.

"Heeeyyyy." She said, looping an arm around Hinata's shoulder. "How's it going, Hinata?"

"U-um i-it's g-going g-g-good."

"Glad to hear it! Now, remember that favor you owe me?"

Hinata blushed slightly. "Y-yes?"

"Good!"

With that, Sepi steered her away from the crowd.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, somewhat skeptically. Not that he doubted Hinata's ability, but she...didn't act out, to say the least.

"N-n-naruto?!"

Sepi looped her other arm around Naruto's shoulder and drug him along. "Let's go, you two!"

... ... ...

"How did you find this place?" Naruto hissed.

Sepi grinned. "My secret. Okay, let's do this."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Don't worry." Sepi said, petting Hinata's head. "You keep your Byakugan out and warn us if anyone is approaching, and we'll do the rest."

"O-okay."

"Let's do this, ya know!"

"SHH!"

... ... ...

Hinata looked around nervously as the two pranksters went along with their plan, carefully booby trapping every square inch of the building. Paint, glitter, and flashbang tags were set to go off at unique movements. Some were obvious, some weren't. Once one was set off, the resulting chaos would be...beautiful.

"Someone's coming!" Hinata hissed.

"SHITDAMMITMOTHERFUCKINGJASHIN!" Sepi cursed. "Let's go!"

.. ... ...

Once they were clear, they couldn't stop laughing. Hinata had to sit down and hold her ribs, and Naruto was on the ground crying, he was laughing so hard.

"Ramen!" Sepi proclaimed when they regained their breath. "The reward for every prankster!"

"H-hai."

"Alright, ya know!"

... ... ...

The Third Hokage stared down the shinobi in front of him. "If your security was this lax, I suggest you tighten it up." He said neutrally, trying not to laugh with limited success.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." A very unhappy ANBU said. Four others stood behind him, all with pink paint and silver sparkles _covering_ them, as well as ringing ears and stinging eyes. From that moment on, whenever the ANBU heard the 'terrible trio' was on the pranking warpath, they barricaded themselves in their headquarters and refused to come out until the 'all clear' was given.


	11. Team 6, assemble!

* _Here's the tenth chapter, you guys! I hope you enjoy! And would SOMEONE please help me out with the stealing of the ownership of Naruto? :P*_

We followed Anko onto the roof. "Alright." She started. "Alright you guys, say who you are, what your likes and dislikes are, and your dream. And since I don't care about any of that, I also want you to say what your strengths and weaknesses are, as well as what fighting style you want to use."

Miko groaned. "What a drag."

I laughed. "You got that from Shikamaru, didn't you? At least she's honest."

Sepi cackled. "But you already know me, Sensei."

I glared at Sepi. "What do you mean?"

"She likes hanging out at T&I." Anko said flatly, not quite hiding a small grin.

I groaned. "Of course you do."

Miko sighed. "Moving on, I'll start. I'm Miko Nara. I like being lazy, I hate having to do stuff, and my dream is being so strong that no one bothers me and I can sleep in peace. I can use my clan's jutsu fairly well, and I suck at Taijutsu. I want to learn how to fight in such a way that I don't have to move much."

I chuckled. "Lazy. I'm Ibukai Kokori. I like steak, BBQ, and swords. Oh, and a book called _The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_. I don't like, well, people who are idiots."

"So most people?" Sepi chimed in.

"Exactly. I am fairly good with weaker Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, and I absolutely suck at Genjutsu. Give me any kind of projectile, and I have a better chance at hitting you if you're standing behind me than anybody I'm actually aiming at. I really want to learn how more Ninjutsu and blade skills."

"I'm Sepi Yamanaka." Sepi said with a grin. "I like traumatizing people, ramen, and explosions. I don't like, no, I hate hand signs, so I spend most of my time training so that I don't have to use as many hand signs for my jutsus."

Miko and I blinked, but Sepi continued without missing a beat. "I'm good at Genjutsu, basic first aid, my clan's techniques, and Taijutsu. I'm bad at Ninjutsu and diplomacy."

I _swear_ Anko grinned at that. I just groaned and hung my head. "What did I get myself into?"

Sepi just slapped me on the back. "Don't worry, it'll be fun!"

I just groaned again before a thought struck me, making me sit up. "Wait a second…"

Anko raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Where do I fit into this team?"

Everyone looked at me blankly before Sepi caught onto what I was talking about. "That's right. All Genin teams are assigned to work off each other's strengths and weaknesses."

"What makes you think that?" Anko asked, amused.

"It's only logical." Miko said with a yawn. "Good at close combat would be Guy's team. Kurenai-sensei's team is a tracking team beyond the shadow of a doubt. Asuma's team is like the classic Ino-Shika-Cho formation. Kakashi's team has the last Uchiha, the holder of the nine-tails, and Sakura, who has excellent chakra control and is an excellent medical shinobi in the making, which those two will desperately need."

Anko's eyes narrowed. "And how did you find that out?"

Sepi's hand shot up. "Me! I got bored." She said with a huge grin. "So, I decided to dig around and find out all the secrets I could."

 _Even though we had previous knowledge of the nine-tails, I wouldn't put it past Sepi to just go looking for S-class secrets._

"Moving on." I said, bringing our sensei's gaze back to me. "The logical thing for this team would be to have an additional Akimichi on it, thus having another Ino-Shika-Cho formation. However, there wasn't another in this class, but I highly doubt the Hokage would just put a, how to put it, rather basic shinobi on with a Nara and Yamanaka. It would greatly decrease their effectiveness and probably get someone killed."

Anko sighed. "Go figure my team would be the smartest and the biggest pain-in-the-ass. Tell you what, if you pass my test tomorrow, I'll tell you. Until then, go enjoy yourselves and get some rest."

"What's the test gonna be?" I asked.

She just smirked. "A survival test. Tomorrow morning at seven, meet at our training ground."

"We have our own training ground?"

Sepi sighed. "Ibukai, all teams are assigned their own training ground. Tell you what, I'll swing by your house tomorrow so you won't get lost. Deal?"

I nodded. "Deal."

It wasn't an issue, 'cause my parents loved Sepi. They thought she was funny. If only they knew she could easily have a career as a serial killer.

 _Tomorrow is gonna be a long day._


	12. Team 6 tested!

* _HI GUYS! I completely forgot to update yesterday, but here's a super-long chapter to make up for it. Enjoy!*_

"ATTACK!"

My eyes flashed open and I bolted out of bed, barely dodging a flying Sepi.

"DAMMIT, SEPI!" I yelled from my position on the floor.

"What?" She asked innocently. "It woke you up."

I groaned. "What time is it?"

"Six."

"COME HERE!"

"EEP! ANGRY IBUKAI!"

... ... ...

I walked out of my room with my bag slung over my shoulder, yawning.

"Morning, sleepyhead." My mom said, smiling. "Did he wake up before you landed on him, Sepi?"

She grinned. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Kokori."

I yawned again. "Where's dad?"

"He's already working. He packed some sweet rolls for your guys' first day."

Sepi fairly leapt at the bag my mom held out. "OHMYGOSHILOVEYOU!"

I sighed and shook my head. "Honestly, you're addicted to those thing."

"Ahmnot." She said with her mouth stuffed with a sweet roll.

I just shook my head again as my mom chuckled.

"Have a good day, you two." She said, giving me a hug.

"We will." I said, hugging her back before turning away. What I mean by that is, 'We'll try not to get killed by a psychotic sensei.'

I adjusted my tanto as we got closer to the training ground. "What do you think this survival exercise is gonna be?"

She shrugged. "I dunno."

I glanced at her, eyes narrowing. "So do you know why I was put on this team?"

"Yep." She said happily.

"Are you gonna tell me?"

"Nope."

I growled. "Why not?"

She started skipping. "Because I love knowing classified secrets no one else does."

I glared at her and was considering the pros and cons of telling Ino I killed her sister when we got to the training ground where Miko and Anko-sensei were waiting.

"Alright, listen up." Anko said. "This exercise will last until the sun sets. Your jobs will be to retrieve three things within the time limit."

"That's it?" I asked.

"Not so fast." She said. "The first is a scroll I have hidden in the Forest of Death. The second is Lord Hokage's hat. The third is to retrieve the Icha Icha that Kakashi carries on him all the time. I'll leave it up to you to decide how to go about it. If you fail, you all repeat the academy. If you get caught, then you repeat the academy. If you die, well, then you're no longer my problem."

With that, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Well, fuck you, too!" I yelled.

"She didn't even say good luck." Miko said with a yawn.

"Alright, I have an idea." Sepi cackled. "Listen close."

... ... ...

It was decided that we would split up. I was stuck with the Forest of Death because I was the one who wouldn't lay down and take a nap. Sepi absolutely refused because she wanted to steal Icha Icha. Plus, her clan's technique would work well for getting Kakashi's Icha Icha. Miko was going to get Lord Hokage's hat. We would also do it in stages. I would head out immediately. Sepi and Miko would wait for me to retrieve the scroll and signal them with some fireworks Sepi 'borrowed.' They would then move, and we would meet at the training ground, hopefully before any shinobi caught Miko or Kakashi caught up to Sepi.

With a deep breath, I focused chakra to my hands and feet and scaled the wall that enclosed the Forest of Death. Once at the top, I slid down the other side and gave a thumbs-up through the fence to Miko and Sepi.

"Don't die." Sepi said before taking off. Miko yawned before waving and walking off at a slower pace.

With a deep breath, I turned around and walked into the forest.

...

 _I have limited intel on what the scroll even looks like, let alone where it is. The best idea would be to head for the tower and try to spot it from there._

It was a good two or three hour walk to the tower, and it was already eight in the morning before I had got here. With a deep breath, I hitched up my bag, scaled a tree, and started leaping across the branches to the tower.

"Freaking Forest of Death, of course I'm the one stuck with it." I muttered.

Maybe nothing big noticed I was there yet…

... ... ...

I landed on a branch to catch my breath when I heard a hiss. Not a snake's hiss, but a burning-

"FUCK ME!" I yelled, leaping off the branch to the one I had just been on as a paper bomb blew it to smithereens.

 _She boody-trapped it? Of course she did._

My sensei was seriously trying to kill me. I looked ahead to spot several more traps in the branches, mostly kunai and more paper bombs. I looked at the forest floor, but it had so many traps on it that I immediately ruled it out.

I was considering my options when I heard another hiss, causing me to leap to another branch as the one I was on blew up as well.

 _Delayed timers? You gotta be kidding me._

That meant I couldn't stay in one place and scope out the traps for fear of the branch I was on exploding. I glared at the forest. I really hate this place.

Still, I wasn't that far from the tower, so I took a deep breath and started jumping again, relying on my reflexes to save me.

I hadn't gone two steps when I realized that it was a stupid idea, barely avoiding being impaled by kunai.

Growling with irritation, I glanced at the sun, horror and frustration setting in when I realized that it had already been two hours since I had started. If this kept up, I wouldn't be able to find the scroll.

I took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing…_

... ... ...

"HOT HOT HOT!" I screamed, leaping onto the roof of the tower. I had lost my bag awhile ago, only holding onto my tanto through sheer force of will. I had ran past all the traps, almost getting blown up more times than I would care to count. I had found out the hard way that the stairs were also rigged, so I thought that the sides of the building would be clear.

Yea right.

"So, you're still in one piece."

I looked up and cursed enough to make a sailor's ears bleed. A Hyuuga in a Chuunin vest was looking at me, a smirk on his lips. To make the situation so much better, he was tossing a scroll up and down in the air, and I had a gut feeling that it was the scroll I needed.

"Tch. Such language." He said, shaking his head and holding up the scroll. "Anyways, a Jounin named Anko told me that one of her team would be searching for a scroll here and gave me this for them."

Without hesitation, I attached the explosive firework tag to a kunai and threw it into the air, setting off a massive display of fireworks. I calmly stood up and faced him, a hand on my tanto.

"I don't suppose you'll just hand it over?"

He smirked. "Not a chance."

I shrugged. "Worth a try."

We stood there for several minutes, waiting for the other to make the first move. I considered my options, calm on the outside but freaking out on the inside.

 _All right, calm down!_ Clones may or may not work against him, transforming into someone else is useless, and there's nothing around here to substitute into. So, the jutsus the academy taught me are essentially useless. I'm only average at Taijutsu, so hand-to-hand combat would be suicide. No Genjutsu in my arsenal, not that it would do much anyways. Ninjutsu? If I got close enough, I could singe him with a really wimpy flame.

I sighed. Fuck it.

I charged, forming several clones before drawing my tanto from my sheathe and ducking under the Hyuuga's blow. He completely ignored the clones, confirming my belief that clones were useless against him. I threw several shuriken as I leapt away, but they went so far awry that he just raised an eyebrow, not even having to dodge.

 _Dammit._ I have two hours before the other two head for their targets. _Well, here goes nothing…_

I charged again.

A half hour later, all I had accomplished was getting in close enough to form my Fireball Jutsu, which didn't even singe his clothes. He wasn't even trying that hard in combat, which was making me feel more and more like I was completely useless on my team.

I was weaker than Sakura at the beginning of the series!

He smirked as I leapt away, chest heaving.

"How did you even graduate?" He asked, shaking his head. "Perfect clone jutsu and good enough chakra control to make it all the way here and climb a wall, still having enough chakra for a fight, and yet you can't form a simple fireball. Your Taijutsu sucks, you haven't even attempted Genjutsu, so I'm guessing you suck at it as well, else you would have tried it. You can't even throw a kunai straight!"

My tanto shook ever so slightly, but he noticed, pressing his advantage.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, kid." He said. "Stick to making bread, because as a shinobi, you're worthless. Give it up before you get yourself or someone else killed."

I glared at him, pissed off beyond all belief. However, I was mostly angry because he was right. I had no talent, passed because of a fluke, and I would be more of a burden than a help during every mission.

Why was I here? Because I had dared to dream. I guess I should have figured out by now, both here and in my world, dreams were pointless-

 _"To be Hokage, that is my dream!"_

 _"When people are protecting something truly precious to them, they become as strong as they can be."_

 _"Shinobi who break the rules are scum, but those who would abandon even one of their friends are worse than scum!"_

I opened my eyes, the shaking and the doubt gone. I saw confusion flash momentarily in my opponent's eyes as I smiled.

"You're right." I admitted. "I am weak. I passed because of a fluke at the academy. I really don't belong here. However, I am here, and my friends are counting on me. If I fail, so do they. So, yea, I completely suck, but the simple fact of the matter is I cannot lose. I have friends who are counting on me, and I won't fail now!"  
My eyes burned and I channeled my chakra into my limbs, willing my legs to move faster and my hands to hit harder.

"Now," I snarled, "dance with me!"  
I charged in, my blade a blur as I slashed at him. He barely leapt out of the way in time, lashing out with a foot that I spun around, knocking out of the way and leaping closer. He lashed out with a decimating Gentle Fist, which I threw up my tanto's blade to block…

...and it went spinning out of my hand. I shrugged and charged forward, my own palms lashing out, taking him by surprise as I hit him twice. I ducked, hit, blocked another palm, and leapt into the air, forming several more hand signs, hand signs that I had only seen once before.

 _Please, whatever deity is out there, let this work._

Another clone popped into existence, charging around the back of the Hyuuga as I dashed in from the front. As predicted, the Hyuuga ignored it, turning to me and kicking me in the stomach, which bent me over as he prepared a Gentle Fist for my head…

...and the clone slammed into him from behind, using his palm to slam chakra into the man's back, a rip-off of the Hyuuga's own Gentle Fist. I recovered from my feint of bending over and jammed my palm into his stomach, hitting him with still more chakra as my clone hit him again from behind. The Hyuuga finally lashed out behind him, destroying my clone and turning to kick me halfway across the roof, but the damage had been done. One of his arms hung limply by his side, and the other was clutching his stomach as he hit his knees, one eye shut, the other staring at me.

"H-how…?" Was all he could manage.

"Well, you see," I explained, "I was there when Naruto used the Shadow Clone Jutsu. I gave him the opening against Mizuki. That was my fluke, how I passed the academy."

I swayed slightly, my chakra at an all-time low, as I slowly walked over and picked up the scroll.

He sat back and closed his other eye. "I...was not expecting that. I underestimated you. Well done."

With that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"A FUCKING SHADOW CLONE?! DAMMIT!" I yelled. Funny, I was more upset about him being a shadow clone that I was about what he had said. I shook my head and put the scroll in my pocket, not bothering trying to retrieve my tanto as I headed back the way I came. At least it was clear of traps.


	13. Team 6: Pass! Unique chakra unveiled!

* _Sorry for not updating yesterday, guys. College is a bitch! Here you go! I'll add a second chapter as well. Also, let us all mourn for the loss of a follower. :(*_

Sepi came sliding into the training ground, Miko hot on her heels. They had barely managed to elude the ninja on their trail, including one extremely pissed-off Kakashi. They slid to a stop in front of Anko, who was sitting on one of the posts, eating dumplings.

"Where's Ibukai?" She asked.

Sepi's face fell. "He's not here yet?"

"THERE YOU ARE!"

"EEP! ANGRY PERVY KAKASHI!"  
He strode across the training ground, his Sharingan blazing. Anko chuckled at the fact that he cared so much about that Icha Icha book that he was using his 'magical eye of doom,' as Sepi had called it.

Miko cringed as he saw the two ANBU that had been chasing him flanking Kakashi, their eyes fixed on him and the hat he was holding.

"Ehehe, truce?" He asked.

They kept striding towards the two Genin, and Sepi and Miko started backing up again. Anko sighed as she looked towards the setting sun.

"Well, before they beat the crap out of you two, your time limit up and Ibukai's probably dead, so…"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sensei." A dry voice said.

Everyone looked as Ibukai limped out of the trees, more than a little burned and bruised. He swayed dangerously from side to side, but he had a smug grin on his face and was holding a scroll.

Anko sighed. "Well, your teammates were caught, so…"

Sepi glared at her. "We haven't been caught, yet."

Kakashi turned to Anko, a bewildered expression on his face. "Wait, your test for them was to steal my Icha Icha?"

"And the Hokage's fancy hat." She said, earning glares from the ANBU.

Ibukai walked up and tossed her the scroll before falling onto the grass with a thump, stretching out and smiling. "Well, we did it, so now you're stuck with-"

He was snoring before he ended his sentence, his eyes glued shut with exhaustion. The ANBU shook their heads and retrieved the Hokage's hat from a very meek-looking Miko as Kakashi snatched his Icha Icha from Sepi and started walking off.

"Page 45 was very descriptive." She said innocently, causing him to stumble in his tracks before recovering and walking off.

"You...didn't actually read it, did you?" Miko asked.

Her only answer was a mischievous grin.

He make a choked sound, much like a sob. Anko grinned as she looked at her new team.

"I'm gonna have fun with you guys."

... ... ...

Anko deposited Ibukai in his bed, Shena watching from the doorway. She had freaked when Anko had carried a bandaged Ibukai through the door. Anko barely managed to duck a frying pan while explaining that he was fine.

"He's too reckless." Shena said.

Anko shook her head as she walked out of the room. "He's eager to prove himself, but he's smart enough not to be reckless.

"Does he know about…?" Shena's voice trailed off as she watched her sleeping son.

Anko shook her head. "No. He does know about his...unique chakra, though."

Shena turned to look at Anko, eyes wide with surprise. "Unique chakra?"

 _"I promised to tell you why you're part of Team 6, didn't I?" Anko said while Ibukai was being bandaged up by the orderly._

 _He looked up. "Yea. What's the deal, anyways? And why can't I make the Fireball Jutsu work for me?"_

 _"It's your chakra."_

 _He raised an eyebrow. "What, you mean that my chakra hates me?"_

 _She shook her head. "No. You have a...unique kind." She held out a piece of paper. "Here. This is chakra paper. Channel your chakra into this so I can show you what I'm talking about."_

 _He did as she told, and gasped at the result. The chakra crinkled, but that wasn't what made his eyes grow the size of saucers. It was the small arc of red lightning that accompanied the crinkle._

 _"What. The hell. Was that?" He asked her, looking her dead in the eyes._


	14. Time to train

_*Here we go, the promised second chapter. Enjoy!*_

I stumbled out of my room, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Good morning." My mom said cheerfully as she put pancakes on the table.

My eyes lit up as I slid into my seat. "Morning!" I said, digging in.

"So, you start training today?"

I nodded, hastily swallowing. "Yep! We passed the survival exercise, so Anko is gonna start having us go on missions and train!"

She giggled at my excitement. "Slow down with those pancakes or you'll choke! So, you're finally a shinobi, huh?"  
I nodded my head energetically, swallowing a larger-than-normal bite of pancake. "Yea, but I still have a long ways to go if I want to make it to Jounin!"

"Well, hurry up so you can train!" She said, laughing as I bolted the rest of my food, running to the door and sliding on my sandals, running over to give her a hug before bolting out the door.

I waved to my dad as he put sweet rolls in a paper sack for some customers as I ran out the front of the shop.

"Bye, dad!"

"Stay safe!" He yelled after me.

I was laughing as I dodged people on the street, running as fast as I could towards Team 6's training ground.

I waved at Kurenai's team as I leapt over their heads,and dodging around Kakashi as he was 'lost on the road of life,' giggling as he read his Icha Icha. In no time at all, I slid into our training ground where Anko and Asuma were talking. Sepi and Ino were sparring as Shikamaru, Miko, and Choji watched while sharing a bag of chips.

I plopped next to Shikamaru, accepting the offered chips as I watched Ino and Sepi.

"What's going on?" I asked, munching on the chips.

"Whatever it is, it's a drag." Shikamaru said with a sigh.

"Asuma and Anko have a bet going," Miko supplied, "that our Ino-Shika-Koro formation is stronger than the Ino-Shika-Cho."

I winced at the name. "Please never do that again."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

"Besides, as it stands, right now they are." I said. "That may change in a few months, though."

Asuma and Anko walked over to where we sat, and Sepi and Ino left off their sparring to come sit with us.

"We have a bet…"

"Of course you do." I said.

"We have a bet," She said again, shooting me a glare, "that Team 6, in two weeks, will be stronger than Team 10."

"What's being bet?" Sepi asked.

"Asuma gets a pack of cigarettes and I treat us all to bbq if he wins."

Choji let out a cheer.

"If I win, however, he treats us to bbq and gets me a bottle of sake."

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh. Grownups."

"They're a drag." Shikamaru agreed.

"Oh, did I forget to mention? The winning team receives some...specialty items."

We all perked up at that. "Like?" Miko prompted.

"Choji gets three all-you-can-eat bbq tickets."

She didn't get any further because of the loud yell of happiness emanating from said person. She sighed and continued. "Ino will get a visit to the hot springs and a manicure. Shikamaru gets three days off."

Shikamaru grinned. "I like that idea."

"And if Anko's team wins," Asuma said, "I have agreed that Sepi gets a particularly rare scroll on a certain water-type jutsu."

Sepi leapt up and started doing a happy dance while Asuma ignored her and continued. "Miko gets the same thing as Shikamaru," to which Miko let out a small cheer, "and Ibukai gets a katana made from a special type of metal which conducts chakra, like my daggers."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

"So, what's the contest?" Ino asked, rolling her eyes at her sister's reaction to getting a scroll.

Anko grinned. "Can't tell you."

I groaned.

Asuma laughed at my reaction. "We'll train you the best we can, but we aren't allowed to even hint at what we're doing. All right, Team 10, follow me."

They left and Anko clapped her hands together, rubbing them vigorously. "All right! Let's get started!" She passed Miko and Sepi small bits of paper.

"Chakra paper?" Miko guessed.

"Bingo!" She said. "You all know how to use it?"  
They nodded, and Miko's paper crumbled into pieces.

"Earth!" She said. "Sepi?"

"Mine's water." She said, not even bothering to use the paper. "I've tried it before. You knew that, too, which is why you grabbed that water scroll for me."

They both looked at me. I nervously scratched the back of my head. "I, uh, already did that. Mine...well…"

"Most people have two chakra natures," Anko explained for me, "but it's a toss-up if the second nature ever is strong enough to actually be able to be trained. Ibukai has an exceptionally rare combination of Fire and Lightning."

"The ones that are, they're called Kekkei Genkai, right?" Sepi asked.

Anko nodded. "Correct. However, Fire is so closely associated with lightning in terms of chakra nature that there has never, as far as my research shows, been a Kekkei Genkai from them. Those who do have both just are able to use both Lightning and Fire styles. However, your chakra is mixed, like oil and water. If it was just one chakra nature, you would have no problem using the Fireball Jutsu or using your chakra to control projectiles. However, these chakra natures have combined, and they're so closely associated with one another that it's virtually impossible to separate them. That's why the color of the lighting arc that was created when you channeled your chakra into the paper the other day was red. The lightning was literally on fire."

"But how come I can use the academy Ninjutsu and use my chakra to climb? Iruka-sensei said I have excellent chakra control."

"That's because you do. The academy Ninjutsu doesn't require much chakra, and your chakra control makes them flawless. You aren't focusing on a single type of chakra when channeling it, so it doesn't make a difference. However, your chakra being channeled into an elemental jutsu will fail. With your Fireball Jutsu, you're trying to use only your fire nature, but you're pulling both of them, causing it to fizzle out. The more chakra you use, the more it fights itself, and the less effective it is."

"So...now what?" I asked.

"You have two options." She said, holding up a finger. "First, you can try to separate the chakra natures. If you succeed, and it's a big if, you'll lose your unique chakra, at least until you can learn to combine them again. You'll have a much easier time using fire- and lightning-type ninjutsu, though. Or," she held up a second finger, "you could not separate them. This is definitely the harder route. You'll have to practice with your chakra constantly until you're able to change its nature and form."

"And that means…?"  
 _WHACK!_

Sepi sucker-punched the back of my head. "You idiot! Ugh. If you take that route, you're going to need to create an entirely new jutsu!"

"Possibly." Anko said. "Sepi, Miko, spar. You're allowed to use Taijutsu and your clan's abilities only. I'm gonna set Ibukai up with an exercise that will help him out, then I'll be back."

She took me a little ways away and placed a stack of paper on the ground, putting a rock on top of them to make sure the wind didn't blow them away.

"What I want you to do is try to picture your chakra as two pools." She said. "One being fire, one being lightning. Try to channel one into a paper in your left hand, the other into a paper in your right. Run through the stack of paper and then come talk to me."

"What if I can't do it?" I asked.

I got a shrug in response. "It doesn't really matter. This is to determine if you can actually separate your chakra. If you can't do that, we'll concentrate on finding jutsu you can use. It will be up to you if you want to create a new jutsu, though."

She left and I sat down, took a deep breath, and started…

... ... ...

...and two hours later, I was out of paper, had slight burns on each hand, and had made absolutely no progress.

I watched Sepi and Miko sparring from a distance, taking a breather before going and talking to Anko, who appeared to be...napping?

I sighed. How was I supposed to use chakra when I couldn't even separate the two natures? Creating an entirely new jutsu would take wayyyy too long.

"That will not succeed."

I leapt up and barely repressed a scream, choosing instead to glare hotly at the familiar ANBU.

"Really?!"

"Yes." He said, like nothing had happened. "Your chakra nature is entirely unique. It will resist trying to be separated. Finding jutsu that will work for you will be more effective and less time-consuming in the long run."

"You know about my chakra?"

"Of course."

"Did everybody know except me?! Who the hell are you, anyways?!" I snapped.

I could hear the smile in his voice. "Not everyone, and I am someone who is interested in your survival. Now, practice."

I glared at him again before turning around, forming the Fireball Jutsu. "If this goes south, it's all your fault."

Gather chakra, combine chakra, and…

I exhaled, blowing my chakra out between my fingers. My eyes narrowed as I saw the small stream of fire fizzle out.

"Fire jutsu will not work for you, then. At least, not now. Try lightning jutsu instead."

I smirked. "I know just who to see about that."

... ... ...

"Sensei."

Anko opened an eye to see Ibukai standing over her. "Eh? What is it, kid?"

"I need to speak to Kakashi."

She opened both eyes and narrowed them as she looked at her student. "What do you mean?"

"I ran out of paper, and it didn't work. Fire jutsu doesn't work for me, either, but lightning might."

Her eyes narrowed. "Very well. I'll get a message to him."

She stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes. "Alright, team, meet at the Hokage's tower first thing in the morning for our first mission." With that, she disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

... ... ...

"Interesting." The Hokage bit on the end of his unlit pipe.

"I believe I felt another...unfamiliar chakra in the area just before this happened."

"Another chakra?"

Anko nodded.

The Hokage chewed the pipe thoughtfully before turning to the ANBU in the room. "And when you faced him...did it surface?"

The ANBU nodded. "For a brief moment. If I hadn't been looking for it, there is a strong likelihood I wouldn't have seen it at all."

He nodded. "That is all."

The Hyuuga replaced his mask before teleporting away as the Hokage stood up and walked to the window, watching the sun set. He stood there for several minutes before turning to Anko. "He has decided to attempt lightning chakra?"

"He did."

The Hokage nodded. "I see. Keep watch for that strange chakra again. If someone is interfering with the boy, we need to know who. However, I will speak to Kakashi about teaching the boy about change in chakra nature and form. Dismissed."

After a few minutes, he sighed.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

The ANBU slipped in through the open window before kneeling in front of the Hokage. "It was."

"You have a clone watching over the boy?"

"Both of them."

He sighed. "Why? Why him? I can understand the first, but why add to your burden?"

"I promised his mother I would watch over him."

Hiruzen sighed. Suddenly he felt very, very old. "And does the boy know who you are?"

"He does not."

"See that you keep it that way."


	15. First Mission

* _I AM SO SORRYYY! Okay, I need to drop back to updating once or twice a week, because I have been SWAMPED with classwork. I am so sorry about the wait, as well. :(*_

"You don't need to worry about the strange chakra anymore." The Hokage informed her when Anko arrived at the Hokage's Tower.

She blinked. "Oh?"

"One of my ANBU has taken an interest in the boy." He explained.

She crossed her arms. "Do I get to know who it is?"

He shook his head. "No. However, he is extremely loyal and trustworthy. There's no one better suited for keeping an eye on the boy."

She sighed. "I'm really getting tired of your riddles, old man."

Before anything else could be said, her team burst into the room. "Lord Hokage!" Ibukai yelled. "We get a mission now, right?!"

"You do, and it is…"

The three Genin tensed.

"...Buying groceries for Lady Tasuni."

Miko let out a sigh, Ibukai briefly thought over it, and Sepi still looked excited.

"Alright, guys, just like the survival exercise! We divide and conquer!" She said, throwing her fist out with a dramatic flourish.

"You've been hanging out with Guy-sensei, haven't you?" Miko deadpanned.

Sepi glared at him. "So what?"

Ibukai made a gagging sound, and she included him in her glare. "How so unyouthful of you."

"Did someone say unyouthful?!" Guy yelled, bursting through the double-doors.

"BYE HOKAGE-SAMA!" Anko yelled, snatching the shopping list and money out of the Hokage's hand and fairly dragging her team out the door. Well, if the definition of 'fairly dragging' meant literally dragging them away, then she fairly drug them away.

 _Giving her a team was a good idea_. The Hokage thought before turning to deal with Guy.

... ... ...

Not even an hour later, my team was back in the Hokage's office.

He raised an eyebrow. "You delivered the groceries?"

Sepi stuck her tongue out. "We're not idiots, you know."

Anko chuckled. "We completed it, Lord Hokage."

"You should give us another one." I said, earning a groan from Miko.

"Why can't we just sleep?" He asked.

The Hokage chuckled. "Maybe next time. Your teacher has you training the rest of the day."

I laughed at Miko's downfallen look. "Come on, it'll be fun. Besides, you get three days off if we win."

He cheered up at that.

"Now come on, we got Team 10 to beat!"

... ... ...

I walked onto Team 7's training grounds to find Sasuke and Naruto in a fierce Taijutsu match with Sakura watching anxiously and Kakashi (surprise surprise) reading Icha Icha.

"Do I need to get Sepi to take that away again?" I asked with a chuckle.

The result was...satisfying. Kakashi leapt away with a screech, causing his team to stop what they were doing and look over in surprise.

"Yo." I said in way of greeting.

Sakura looked confused, Sasuke looked irritated that I interrupted their fight, and Naruto, well…

"Ibukai!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, causing everyone within hearing range (as well as quite a few birds) wince.

I waved at them. "Don't mind me. I'm just here to get a few tips in chakra nature and form from your sensei."

"How do you expect to master that if you can't throw a kunai straight?" Sasuke said with a smirk.

I glared at him. "I can handle it, emo-boy."

His eyes narrowed. "What did you call me?"

"You heard me."

Kakashi stepped in between me and Sasuke before things got out of hand. "Sasuke, Naruto, continue sparring. Ibukai, follow me."

"Were you trying to get my team involved in an all-out brawl?" He asked when we were out of earshot, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I smirked. "Meh, emo-boy deserves it."

He gave a slight groan. "Why do you want to know about chakra change and form?"

To answer, I pulled out a piece of chakra paper and pushed my chakra into it. Kakashi's eyes widened at the result.

"I need to learn lightning style to see if it will work for me." I said seriously. "Fire style won't. If I can master change in chakra nature and form, then I will be able to create my own jutsu."

He considered this. "You could do that, or you could simply customize jutsus that already exist."

"What do you mean?"

He smiled.

... ... ...

A week later, I had made minimal progress. Kakashi had me doing...unique exercises. (I would spoil the surprise if I told you what they were.) Team 6 was gathered in a strategy-making session, planning for the upcoming contest with Team 10.

"A fight?" Miko suggested.

"Or capture the flag." Sepi replied.

"They may not even have us fighting each other at all, like a race or a scavenger hunt." I said.

"I think we'll probably end up fighting them sometime, though." Sepi said.

Miko and I nodded our heads in agreement. "We should think up a strategy." Miko said.

"Besides grouping up and hitting them 'till they die?" I said, and they both stared at me blankly.

I sighed. "Nevermind." _It's an SAO Abridged reference, by the way._

Miko sighed. "Let's work on them tonight. I need to get home before my mom kills me."

I stared at him blankly. "Why?"

It was Sepi's turn to sigh. "Because it's really late."

I looked up at the sky. "It's not that-"

The moon stared back down at me.

"It's night?!"

"How did I get on your team?" Miko groaned.

"Fuck you too." I said.

He got up and dusted himself off. "See ya guys later."

Sepi sighed and got up. "I should get going too. Anko-sensei already left."

"She didn't even say goodbye." I sniffed.

Sepi laughed and walked away, and I turned to go home, but I paused, looking up instead at the monument for the Hokages.

 _Hmm…_

 _... ... ..._

A few minutes later, I was standing on top of the Fourth Hokage's head, grinning like a maniac. And also sweating like one. I mean, who uses stairs when you can literally run up the cliff face?

Also, they did invent stairs for a reason, and I was starting to think that the reason was so your lungs wouldn't feel like they were collapsing upon themselves when you run up a cliff face.

Moving on!

I sat down, chest heaving, looking out over the village. Most of the lights on the side streets were going out, but the main streets were still lit.

I took deep breath, able to think for the first time...this...happened.

 _I'm actually here. This isn't a dream._

Which just begged the question...what the fuck was I gonna do? I would be able to change things for the better, but in doing so, I might fuck up and actually make things worse. That was one thing I didn't want to do. However, there were three things I intended to do no matter what:

Make sure Sasuke didn't leave the village.

Keep Itachi alive.

Keep Neji alive.

Because DAMMIT, my endings are better than Kishimoto's!

I sighed. I just...wanted to make sure as few people as possible died.

"So serious."

I fairly leapt off the Hokage's head, saved at the last second by a hand grabbing the back of my shirt, pulling me back and saving me from an early grave via accidental suicide.

I looked up, speechless, at the Hokage.

"Um...hi?"

He looked different when he wasn't in his robes and hat. He looked...normal.

"This is my favorite place in the village." He said, chewing on the end of his pipe.

"It's not on your own head?" I asked. What? I couldn't help myself.

At any rate, he chuckled. "Actually, no. Minato Namikaze was my close friend, and he sacrificed everything for the village. There was no greater hero in the history of the Hidden Leaf."

"Not even the First Hokage?" I asked. Inwardly, I was freaking out. _I'm talking to the Third Hokage!_

He shook his head and smiled. "Not even him."

I looked at the village again, and for some reason, it seemed like the Hokage was trying to gather the courage to tell me something. It was probably just my imagination though.

Finally, he stood up. "I agreed to buy Naruto ramen. Care to join?"

I was on my feet in a flash. "Sure!"

A little while later, Naruto and I slurped ramen happily with the Hokage sitting between us.

"So, Naruto, how's your team?" I asked between mouthfuls.

"Meh." He said. "I'm really glad Sakura is on it, but with Sasuke…"

"You know," I said, "it's not that bad of a thing to have him on your team. After all, he's a powerhouse, and you'll only get stronger training with him."

"I guess." He mumbled, and I left it at that. I didn't want to cause too big an impact yet. Just plant a seed and let it grow...I'll hit him with a 2x4 later if necessary.

I set my bowl down and got off my stool. "Thanks for the ramen!"

The Hokage smiled and me and I started walking off, but then I paused.

 _You know…_

"Hey Naruto."

He looked up.

"My mom makes fantastic ramen. You should come by sometime. It might even rival this ramen."

"No way! Ichiraku's ramen is the best! Believe it!" He was smiling, though, and I walked away, grinning.


	16. Team 6 Vs Team 10!

_*I still feel sad that I only have time to update once a week. At any rate, here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy!*_

Tomorrow was the day we would face Team 10. We had gone over every strategy in the book, but we still didn't have a sure-fire way to beat them. Also, while my Ninjutsu had improved, it still wasn't very powerful, and my right eye had started burning when I used a lot of chakra. It confused the hell out of me, but I didn't want to say anything. For all I knew, it was something really bad and they would tell me I couldn't be a shinobi anymore.

I finished sharpening my spare tanto, trying to swallow the nervous lump in my throat. It wasn't working.

My father knocked on my door, and I looked up.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" He asked.

I nodded as he sat down on the bed beside me. "Yea, I am. Team 10 is really good. Unless we find a way to split them up, we're gonna lose."

He ruffled my hair. "Just do your best."

I tried smiling.

"Hey, you always say don't give up, right?" He said. "So, do your best for your friends. You'll be alright."

This time I did smile. "I'll...do my best."

"That's my boy!" He said. "Now get some rest."

I nodded, but sleep didn't come to me for a very long time.

... ... ...

The next day, I was at the training grounds wayyyy earlier than I needed to be. Therefore, I was extremely surprised when Anko-sensei was there only a couple minutes after I was.

She dropped out of the tree, landing in front of me and almost making me yell in surprise.

"Do you always do that?!" I snapped, trying to calm my overly-active heart.

"Relax, kid." She said, sitting down next to me. "So, why are you here so early?"

I shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. By the way, shouldn't you be stalking Kakashi-sensei or something?"

She glared at me, and I smirked a little before my worried frown came back.

"How are we supposed to beat them?" I asked quietly. "Their teamwork is damn good. Shikamaru can out-maneuver Miko any day, and Choji can run me over flat. Sepi can beat her sister, but that will still leave her two-to-one. We aren't going to be able to beat them, are we?"

The last part I said quietly, and Anko-sensei sighed.

"Are you gonna keep moaning?" She asked, and I looked up at her. "Look, kid, just because something seems impossible doesn't mean it is. Sure, Team 10's teamwork is excellent, but there are flaws, gaps. You just need to find them."

"How am I supposed to do that?!" I almost yelled, slamming my fist into the ground in frustration. "Miko's the planner, Sepi is the one who is able to think on her feet! Why the hell am I here, anyways?! Cannon-fodder?!"

She narrowed her eyes. "Stop. Bitching. If something doesn't go right, go left. If an opponent can beat you at a logical game, don't be logical. People can get stronger all they want, but the ones who are really strong don't fight with their heads. They fight with their hearts."

... ... ...

Team 10 stood facing us, Anko-sensei and Asuma-sensei nearby.

"This is such a drag." Shikamaru and Miko muttered at the same time. Choji continued eating his chips, Ino and Sepi sized each other up, and I looked at our senseis.

"Well? Are you gonna tell us why we're here?" I asked them.

"Right." Asuma-sensei said. "Let's get started. This is a race. Each team will receive a scroll, a starting point, and an ending destination. Only rules: you cannot kill anyone, don't go through the village. Anything else goes."

"You have five hours to complete this." Anko-sensei picked up where Asuma left off. "Asuma will keep tabs on my team, and I'll keep tabs on his. That way no favoritism happens. Alright, let's head out!"

Our starting point was about four miles away, by a stream in the forest. According to Asuma, our end goal was (ironically) the KIA memorial stone.

We looked at each other. "What do we do, Sepi?" I finally asked.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. "Well, Shikamaru is the logical choice for slowing us down. Miko, you counter him. I'll take my sister. Ibukai, you get the scroll and head towards the end."

 _They'll be expecting that._ I thought.

"Okay." Was all I said.

... ... ...

 _I should have spoken up._ I thought as I leapt through the trees. Sepi had already split off to deal with Sepi, and Miko just stopped, engaging Shikamaru in a contest of shadows.

 _He'll win._

I ran with all my speed. They had to have placed Choji up ahead, but I already had a plan for that.

What I didn't expect was finding Shikamaru.

I struggled to make my body move.

"Choji was henged?" I growled.

"Ino." He said with a smirk. "By the time Sepi finds out her mistake, you'll be out of the race, and we'll have your scroll."

"I knew you'd expect our plan." I said. "I knew it and I didn't say anything."

"That was your final mistake." He said.

"Not quite."

"Wha-"

My shadow clone leapt towards Shikamaru, and he barely dodged.

 _Not yet._

I leapt away as Ino Yamanaka came upon us, meaning Miko was out of the race. Taking advantage of Shikamaru's distraction, I leapt away, heading towards our goal. If Miko was out, Sepi would be walking straight into a trap. I took off, intent on getting to the memorial stone before Team 10 did.

I stopped.

 _Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum._

Back in my world, I had a fatal flaw. If I escaped a dangerous situation, and a friend was in danger, I would go back. 9:10 times, we both lost, and the other time, I would lose, but my friend would escape.

I sighed and turned around. In this world, that flaw would probably get me killed, but I headed back towards Sepi anyways.

... ... ...

"Ino, take off." Shikamaru said. "I'll delay Sepi. You can take Ibukai, no problem, and Choji will be here soon."

"Don't count on it." Sepi growled, struggling to move. "He's-"

"HUMAN BOULDER!"

"-tied up." She finished, sighing.

 _Dammit, Ibukai, hurry up and get to the end..._

Choji bore down on her as she was held helpless in Shikamaru's jutsu.

"LIGHTNING STYLE: LIGHTNING DRAGON!" Someone yelled, and a red-tinted lightning dragon smashed into the ground between her and Team 10. Ibukai landed in front of her, breathing heavily.

"What are you doing, you idiot?!" She yelled at him as Team 10 picked themselves off the ground. "You could have won this thing by now!"

"She's right." Shikamaru grumbled. "What a drag. Now this thing will go on even longer."

The lightning style took about every ounce of chakra I had. I didn't even have enough for a shadow clone anymore.

I grunted, passing the scroll back to Sepi. "Take it, I'll distract them."

"We're not getting out of here unless we beat them." She growled. "Dammit, we just lost because of you!"

"Shut up." I growled.

"Ibukai," she said seriously, and I looked at her as she continued, "the mission comes first."

I drew my tanto. "Bite me."

... ... ...

Asuma raised an eyebrow as Ibukai charged in. Ino took off as Shikamaru immobilized Sepi and Choji tried to flatten Ibukai.

"I think this match is decided."

Anko nodded agreement. "I think it is."

... ... ...

We all were gathered in front of the memorial stone. I was bruised from getting caught by Shikamaru's shadow then run over by Choji. Sepi and Miko were both pissed and refused to look at me, and Team 10 was busy celebrating their win.

"Asuma, you'd better get your team and take out of here. My team needs a dressing down."

He nodded, and we cringed.

"Miko, Sepi, good job keeping to the plan." Anko-sensei said, strangely calm. "Ibukai, your mistake was heading back, or else this team would have won." She sighed. "In the field, on missions, you're going to have to make hard choices between the mission and your comrades. We have the shinobi rules for a reason…"

I stood up and starting walking away.

"Ibukai, we're not done."

"Shut up, Sensei." I replied, and my team blinked in surprise. "I did what I did for a reason, and I don't regret it. Screw the rules."

I walked off.

Later, I returned to the memorial stone. I spent hours gazing at the names carved on it, wondering if I had made the right decision.

"Was I right?" I asked softly.

A figure had been standing next to me for the past hour or so as the shadows lengthened on the ground.

"Would you change it?" Was the simple reply.

I slowly shook my head. "But, the rules…"

"Those who break the rules are scum," the silver-haired Jounin replied, "but those who would abandon even one of their friends are worse than scum."

I looked up at the darkening sky. "What if I can't do it? What if I fail and someone dies because of me?"

He stiffened, most likely thinking about Obito and Ren. "There's no easy answer." He finally replied. "If you do your best, protect your comrades, then no one can tell you that you were wrong."

"Teach me your Chidori." I said finally, looking at him. "Please."

He stilled. "I don't…"

"Kakashi, please." I asked again. "I can't use the lightning dragon. It uses too much chakra. If I want to get stronger so this doesn't happen again."

It was a long time before he spoke. "One condition."


	17. To the wave! A rift in Team 6?

* _So, here is the start of the Wave Arc. Enjoy!*_

We met the next day, and it was an awkward silence as we went through our mission, which was catching a stray cat. After then, Anko-sensei let us train individually, so I took off, heading for the nearest stream. Kakashi had given me a list of exercises to do, and the first was water walking.

It meant getting soaked for hours on end, but hey, I was getting there.

... ... ...

"You want to tell me why you're stealing my student?"

"He asked me for extra training."

Anko glared at Kakashi as they watched Team 7 train. "That's not what I meant."

He sighed and closed his book. "You stick too much to the rules, Anko, and I've learned that the only thing that you get by following the rules is comrades dying. Sure, the mission is complete, but that doesn't bring the dead back to life. Ibukai will go back for his friends every time. If he ever stops, we need to be worried. He has the potential to be a great shinobi, but he'll never follow in your footsteps."

"And yours are any better?" Anko growled.

She had never seen him angry. She froze up for a split seconds as the killing intent rolled off of Kakashi. He slowly closed his book.

"Your team is going to be a capture and interrogation team." He said very calmly. "Ibukai is going to be vital for protecting Miko and Sepi while they are vunerable. How is he supposed to do that when your training is doing nothing to help him?"

"He's my student, dammit!"

"Then start treating him like it! He shouldn't have to seek outside help!"

Anko bit off an angry retort, and Kakashi saw his chance and took it.

"Look, the kid has brains, but he also has a heart. He won't abandon those in danger. That counts more than any mission objective."

"I hate you." She grumbles.

"Then quit stalking me."

"Never!"

... ... ...

I was making slow progress on the water walking, and within a couple weeks I was getting the hang of it, but I lost all concentration when Anko-sensei suddenly came walking up out of nowhere.

"GAH!" I yelled, falling in. Since the exercise, my team had been rather cool towards me, and it was getting on my nerves.

"What do you want?" I asked with a glare as I crawled onto the bank.

She rolled her eyes. "Look, kid, you broke the shinobi code."

I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Whatever."

"However, maybe you did the right thing."

My foot broke through the water's surface, and I turned around in surprise. "Huh?"

She looked into the distance. "I, well, talked to Kakashi."

I smirked. "Stalking him again?"  
"Shut up!" She yelled, growing red. "Anyways," she continued, collecting herself, "you did what you should have done, not what you needed to. So, props."

I grinned, but then a thought struck me. "Uh, Sensei? Where is Kakashi's team?"

"Oh, well, I think…"

I raised an eyebrow, and she glared. "Fine. I KNOW they got sent on a mission to the Wave. Some escort mission or-"

I took off. "Sepi! Miko! Grab your shit, NOW!"

... ... ...

"Are you three going to tell me what's going on?" Anko-sensei yelled at us as we ran full-speed through the trees. Our destination: The Land of Waves.

"We can't," I replied grimly, my tanto strapped to my back, "because frankly, you wouldn't believe us."

"Kakashi's team is in trouble." Miko informed Anko, his usual lazy expression nowhere to be found.

"We need to get to the Land of Waves and provide support ASAP." Sepi finished.

Anko-sensei's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"

"Call it a hunch." I snapped. "We need to pick up the pace."

Anko-sensei muttered something under her breath, but we moved faster, all of us worried about what we would find.

... ... ...

BAM BAM BAM!

"What the-" Sakura said in surprise, looking up from the dinner table. Naruto and Sasuke also turned around, clearly surprised. Inari and Tazuna both wore apprehensive looks, and Tsunami, Inari's mother…

She just looked pissed.

"Who the hell is banging on my door?!" She yelled, walking over to the offending object and throwing it open.

Her glare was met with another coming from Anko-sensei.

Immediately three Genin swept by Tsunami, each taking position in a corner of the room.

"You guys alright?" Sepi asked, concern written all over her face.

"HEY!" Tsunami yelled. "What do you think-?!"

She was cut off by Anko. "Where's Kakashi?" She growled.

"Upstairs, recovering! Now-"

Anko brushed by her and lunged for the stairs.

"What in the…" Tazuna muttered.

A grey-haired Genin stepped forward, and the other two took it as their cues to relax.

"We're Team 6, from the Hidden Leaf Village." He explained. "We...became aware that Team 7 had been attacked. We came as back-up."

"How did you…" Sakura started, clearly confused.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "We didn't send a message back to the Leaf." He stated.

I told the lie my team had spun. "Anko-sensei's shadow clone was stalking Kakashi and dispelled itself when Zabuza attacked."

We had pretty much blackmailed and bribed Anko into accepting our story, with healthy promises of kidnapping Kakashi for her thrown in.

Sasuke didn't look convinced, but he nodded nonetheless.

Tsunami, however, looked fit to burst.

"You can't just barge in here!"

Sepi hated diplomacy and Miko was too lazy to speak up, so I sighed and spoke up.

"We're sorry," I apologized, "but we were worried about our teammates. As it is, you'll have the protection of two ninja teams, not just one, and for no extra charge."

"What?!" Miko yelled.

"Shut up." I snapped.

"This is just like going against Team 10, dammit! Do you even think before you act?!"

My tanto was out and against his throat before I knew what I was doing.

"Wha- Ibukai!" Sepi yelled, waving her arms around frantically.

"Look, bastard," I growled, "you may not care about this place, but I do. I will not abandon them."

He shoved me away. "Yea, but you'd kill your own teammates to do so! I guess the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree!"

Sepi was between us before we actually started fighting.

"You guys are making a scene." She said quietly. "As it is, Anko-sensei isn't leaving. We're staying here, and we're a team."

"Tell him that." Miko snapped.

I turned around and walked out the door.

... ... ...

 _WHACK!_

Miko's head was ringing from Sepi's blow.

"You idiot!" She yelled. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

She had smacked him and then drug him into an adjacent room, away from the shocked looks Team 7 and Tazuna's family were giving them.

"What? He deserved it." He replied, sullen.

"But the dig about his father?" She growled.

He was silent.

"That's what I thought."

... ... ...

Team 7 looked at each other. Sakura was the first to break the silence.

"Are we...like that?"

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other. For the first time, they realized the rift that was starting to grow between them.

"I need to grow stronger." She said, almost to herself.

"I'll help, ya know!" Naruto said, throwing Sakura a thumbs-up.

They both looked at Sasuke, who looked away.

"...fine…" He finally said.

... ... ...

Kakashi and Anko both heard the entire confrontation.

"At least my students gained something from this." Kakashi deadpanned.

Anko glared at him.

He held up his hands in surrender.

She sighed. "How did you end up bedridden, anyways?"

"Zabuza."

"You used the Sharingan, didn't you?"

He looked away.

"Dammit, Kakashi!"

"I didn't have a choice."

She growled before sitting back in the chair she had pulled up next to his bed.

"Are you going after Ibukai?" He finally asked.

"No." She said shortly. "This is something they have to figure out on their own."


	18. Haku, enter

_*I know, I know, drama. Look, every good story has it. Will Team 6 repair the rift that is starting to form or are they all gonna fall apart? Also, I have another follower! Thank youuuuu!*_

"Dammit!"

I walked for about an hour before I stopped in the middle of a forest, where I decided to try to throw a shuriken straight.

Yea…

It wasn't working. I was too frustrated to concentrate properly, and I was just getting angrier and angrier.

"DAMMIT!" I yelled, giving up and just punching the tree.

 _Crack!_

"OW! SHITFUCKJASHINDAMMIT!" I roared, leaping away and clutching my hand. I flexed it, trying to determine if it was broken or not.

It wasn't, which was a relief.

I glared at the tree.

"You know what?"

 _Mi, Hitsuji, Saru, I, Uma, Tora. Fireball jutsu!_

The flame barely made it a foot before it fizzled out.

Suddenly, I was angry. Very, very angry. I was angry that I couldn't throw a weapon straight, angry that I couldn't perform a jutsu, angry at being helpless, and angry that I couldn't go home. I was scared shitless that, because of how weak I was, someone would die. This fear turned into anger compounding over and over, taking over, and I blacked out.

... ... ...

"Um…"

Slowly, my eyes blinked open, and I saw a figure standing over me. I sat up, groaning at the soreness in my muscles, and froze.

For almost a hundred yards radius, the ground was blackened and pitted, trees were leveled, and the trunks were blackened and splintered.

"What the…? What happened?" I asked, looking around.

"I was hoping you would tell me." Haku replied.

My mouth dropped open before I forcibly shut it. "Um…"

"I'm a guy." He said, slightly irritated.

"Could have fooled me." I replied, not skipping a beat, accepting the offered hand and standing up. "I'm Ibukai, of the Leaf."

"Haku." He said, nodding. "Are you…?"

"The one who did this?" I asked, waving my hand at the destruction around me.

He nodded.

"I dunno." I shrugged. "Got angry last night, blacked out, just woke up. You know about as much as I do."

That wasn't strictly the truth. I remembered forming my lightning dragon jutsu. It would explain the destruction that I saw around the...newly formed clearing. I probably passed out from chakra exhaustion.

"Are you...alright?" He finally asked.

I waved it off. "Yea, I'm fine. I got into an argument with a teammate last night and came out here to blow off some steam. I...didn't expect this to happen, though."

He looked at me with a look of disbelief.

"What?"

With a resigned sigh, he shook his head.

"HAKU!"

I whirled, my tanto already in hand as I leapt away from Haku, prepared for an attack. I got it, sparks flying as a katana with a blade the color of a moonless night collided with my tanto.

My opponent spun, bringing her blade down from another direction. Almost too late, I realized that it was a feint and leapt aside, her sword just skimming my shirt, causing a slight cut.

She was good.

She wore a Mist headband with a horizontal cut all the way across the metal, and bandages covering the lower half of her face.

"Who the hell are you?" I growled, committing her blue kimono and black pants to memory, so that I could report this new development to memory.

I should have realized that my team might have not been the only change to the timeline.

"Who are you?" She retorted.

"A missing-nin, huh?" I muttered, eyes narrowing. "I thought Zabuza and Haku were the only two we had to worry about. I should have figured it wouldn't be that easy."

"Inwe-chan! What are you doing?!" Haku yelled as the girl and I leapt away from each other, landing about forty yards apart.

 _The same eyes as Zabuza? Long flowing hair, almost a combination of gray and brown. Skills with a sword. Missing-nin headband from the Mist. Haku knows her._

"You gotta be kidding me." I growled.

Haku looked at me, just realizing what I had said a few moments before. "Wait, worry about Zabuza and I? You knew?!"

"Of course I did!" I snapped. "It's not like I can't sense chakra, idiot! You have large reserves and you unconsciously use your chakra."

"Then why didn't you attack?" He asked, but my eyes did not move from newcomer.

"Because you weren't endangering me or my teammates. You could have killed me before I woke up, but you didn't-SHIT!"

I leapt away from the water dragon that came from nowhere, smashing into the spot I had been a few seconds before. Making matters worse, it followed me.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I yelled, my own hands rapidly forming handsigns. "Lightning style: Lightning dragon jutsu!"

My chakra reserves took a noticeable hit, but it was worth the satisfaction of seeing the girl's eyes fly open in shock as my red-tinted dragon crashed into her water dragon. Of course, water conducts lightning, and she just didn't move out of the way fast enough.

 _ZAP!_

 _... ... ..._

"Andddd now Zabuza is gonna kill me!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the air in exasperation.

Haku looked up from where he was kneeling at the girl's side. "She's still alive." He pointed out.

"So she's gonna kill me, too!"

"Look at it this way: you can only die once, so one of them won't be able to kill you." He said reasonably.

"THAT'S NOT ANY BETTER!"

As soon as she got hit by my jutsu, Haku and I rushed over to check on this Inwe chick. I got the whole story out of Haku, which is why I was freaking out.

Inwe was Zabuza's daughter.

"I am so dead, so very, very dead." I sat down with a moan.

Haku just shook his head and sat down beside me as we waited for the girl to wake up.

"Zabuza has a daughter, huh?" I said, looking up at the clouds. "I certainly didn't see that one coming."

"Neither did he." Haku replied, and we shared a chuckle.

"So, who's the mother?"

Haku shrugged. "I don't know. They never discuss it, and I'm too keen on keeping my blood in my body to ask."

I nodded with a chuckle, waiting a minute before speaking again.

"It's a shame we have to fight each other."

He nodded. "Ninja are merely tools, to be used by another."

"Ninja are living, breathing people," I replied, "and we have lives to be valued. That being said, why are you fighting us?"

"Zabuza took a contract with Gato."

"Gato? The angry dick of a midget?"

Haku laughed, despite himself.

"I'll take that as a yes. And, say, if Gato...ceased to be part of the equation?"

Haku turned to look at me, studying me through narrowed eyes. "Zabuza's contract would be…"

"Ibukai?!"

Both of our heads snapped towards the direction of the sound, and we were instantly on our feet.

"My team." I said, cutting of Haku's question. "Take her and get out of here."

He whirled and swept Inwe off the ground, leaping away, but he stopped just shy of the treeline.

"Why are you doing this? The logical thing to do-"

"Would be to kill you." I finished his sentence for him. "Everyone deserves to choose their own destiny, and I'm not going to kill you because a short bastard said you had to fight us. Now, go." I made a shooing motion before walking across the clearing. When I glanced over my shoulder, the duo was gone.

"Over here." I called out, sheathing my tanto a mere instant before Sepi burst into view, dragging a very unhappy-looking Miko behind her.

"Apologize!" She yelled, yanking him forward.

I waved it off. "It's alright Sepi. He had a right to be angry, as I did. Let's simply consider this water under the bridge."

Because, Land of Waves? The bridge being built? Lots of water? ...DAMMIT, how come I always have to explain my puns?!

Sepi blinked in surprise, and Miko's mouth dropped as he looked around the 'clearing.'

"Did...you…?"

"I had to blow off steam somehow." I replied with a shrug.

"What a drag." He muttered under his breath.

Sepi looked from me to him. "Alright, you two, listen up. If we don't work together, we're gonna end up dead. So, from now on, we have to truly be a team. No more digs at each other, no more pissing each other off. We play off each other's strengths, because let's face it, we're stuck with each other. Understand?"

Miko and I nodded at the same time. "Understood."


	19. A risky plan is hatched

_*I AM SOOO SORRY! Finals and dead week in college suck! On the bright side, winter is coming (brace yourselves) so I will be able to update much more often. I feel so guilty for making you guys wait :(*_

"You want to WHAT?!" Anko-sensei yelled.

Only Sepi, Anko, and Kakashi were in the room with me. Miko and Team 7 were outside, training. Kakashi figured that going against a Nara would help his team's teamwork, and so far he was right. It was the opportune time to bring up my...plan.

I took a deep breath. "Look, Gato hired Zabuza. It's not like the guy actually wants to kill us for the fun of it. Okay, maybe he does, but he doesn't want to throw his life away. If Gato dies, he loses his incentive, and more importantly, his reason to fight us."

Anko-sensei was very, very angry. "You are telling me that you found an enemy nin, spoke to them, and together hatched a plan to kill their boss?!"

"Not quite. I came up with the plan on my own."

She threw her hands in the air. "Great. _Fantastic._ I have an assassination squad on my hands instead of a T&I!"

"We can always do both, Anko-sensei." Sepi said innocently.

"GAH! Anything you left out of this shit-storm?!" She yelled at me.

"Zabuza has a daughter." I said flatly.

Silence.

Anko quietly got up and walked to the door. "I need a drink." She announced.

Sepi chuckled. "I'm in. I've always wanted to kill that fucker."

"And Miko?"

"He'll be our decoy at the bridge. I'll talk to him. It will be his job to hold off the enemy nin until we arrive."

"I can form a shadow clone for about two hours."

Sepi smirked. "Save your chakra. I've got the water clone jutsu almost flawless now."

"When did you learn that?!"

"I snagged a scroll. It's back now, though."

I shook my head with a smirk. "Why am I not even surprised?"

"I'll hold off any reinforcements as you take care of the target."

We were all business now, and Kakashi looked on with a mix of humor and dread. When Sepi and I got an idea, it usually wasn't very pretty, like the time we recruited Hinata and Naruto into a prank war on the Chuunin of the Leaf. Hiashi, once Hinata had come running into the compound with the four of us (and a fair amount of Chuunin on our tails) with the entire group covered in pink and blue paint, he almost exploded then and there. We were all terrified as he gave us the dressing-down of a lifetime. It wasn't until the Chuunin left, smug smirks on their faces, that he started _laughing_. He was literally on the ground, tears pouring from his eyes as he laughed his head off for almost ten minutes.

Back to the matter at hand…

We discussed almost every possible angle before Sepi excused herself to go pull Miko aside and tell him of the plan.

Kakashi-sensei looked at me. "How are you progressing with the Chidori?"

"I still can't walk on water very well, but I'm getting the hang of using the lightning dragon now. It's red-tinged, still, so you were correct in thinking that the chakra natures are virtually inseparable. I can't use the Fireball jutsu any better now, though."

He nodded. "I see. Now, you need to learn the second step. The Chidori has two parts: change in chakra nature and change in chakra form, as you well know. When I originally created it, I used my hand as the blade and formed the chakra around it. You can either do that or use the form I currently use, creating a ball of lightning chakra in my hand and forming the blade from it."

I considered my options. "I would rather use the first variation. It seems simpler. Wait...isn't a Sharingan required to master the Chidori?"

"It is. However, the Chidori is only a base for your jutsu. You will need to tailor it to your will. If your enemy doesn't see you, then you won't need to worry about it's imperfect state. I wouldn't recommend it for open battle. Oh, one more thing: be careful not to overuse it. With your chakra reserves, you can manage one Chidori comfortably. Two will be your maximum limit, and that's if you haven't used another jutsu. Three…"

"Could kill me." I finished for him.

He nodded. "Now, watch carefully. I'm going to show you the handsigns. Practice constantly. It will be the only way to improve. There isn't going to be any shortcuts to creating your own jutsu."

I nodded. "Understood."

... ... ...

I never actually got a feel for the time that Team 7 was in the Land of Waves. After a brief talk with Tazuna, I discovered that it was going to be close to two weeks before the bridge was completed.

That gave me plenty of time to work on the strength and speed required for the Chidori. After several days, I could form a few strands of lightning around my hand, but it was nowhere near the actual Chidori. I had a shadow clone practicing that while I worked on my strength and speed that I needed to actually use the Chidori. As Kakashi had explained, even if I was able to form the Chidori, it would be to clumsy to use unless I was fast and strong enough to wield it. It was like a rpg quest item. Weapon: Lightning Blade. Strength required: 7. Current strength: 3.

I met Haku again, on the fifth day, quite by accident. You see, my training for speed and reaction time was leaping from branch to branch, pushing chakra into my limbs and extending myself as far as I could, steadily building up my speed.

As it was, I almost collided with Haku.

"WATCH OUUUUUUTTTTTT!"

 _WHAP!_

I peeled myself off the tree I had smacked into, reminded of a movie I once watched.

 _George, George, George of the Jungle, watch out for that tree!_

"Ibukai-san?"

I dropped to the forest floor, resting against a tree. "Hey, Haku. Is, eh, either one of the crazy killers around?"

... ... ...

 _Zabuza was furious._

"I'LL KILL HIM!"

 _Haku very wisely decided to exit the building that Zabuza was tearing apart in his rage._

 _... ... ..._

"Um...no, but Zabuza is definitely going to kill you." Haku said nervously.

I was silent.

"What is it?"

"I'm thinking about how fast I can run." I replied.

We shared lunch, balancing on a tree branch.

"So, about Gato…" Haku said, looking at his rice ball.

I waved it off. "My team is a T&I, primarily, but we'll handle Gato. Just don't give anything away, but at the same time, try not to let anyone die, okay?"

He nodded.

... ... ...

Kakashi was...impressed, to say the very least. The very...public fight Team 6 had seemed to have a sobering effect on his own team. Something had changed in them. Sakura had started taking her training seriously, and while Naruto and Sasuke were still competing as hard, if not harder, than before, there was less insults being thrown. Naruto was starting to keep his mouth shut and listen for once, and Sasuke was less emo, if it was at all possible.

Anko didn't believe him at first, but when she saw the results of an afternoon of Team 7 training to walk on trees, her opinion changed.

"Is that...a rope around their waists?"

Kakashi nodded, not bothering to glance up from his Icha Icha. "It is. Sakura brought up the idea. She already has excellent chakra control, and the idea is that if one teammate falls, the other two catch them. Of course, Sasuke and Naruto occasionally fall at the same time. They're getting better, certainly exceeding my expectations. Naruto asked Sakura for tips, which isn't all that surprising, but Sasuke did as well."

Anko's eyebrows shot up.

Kakashi chuckled and nodded, turning a page in his book and continuing to read. "It's the first time he's actually started opening up since…"

He stopped, and Anko gently prodded him. "Since the Uchiha Massacre?"

She knew it was still a sore spot for him. Itachi had been on Kakashi's team, and Kakashi had been grooming him to take over the ANBU as captain in Kakashi's place. He had been crushed, feeling betrayed as his prodigy turned traitor, just the next chapter in the book of tragedy the stoic Jounin had already suffered.

He shook it off. "What about your team?"

She sighed as his emotional mask fell back into place. "Miko is going along with the plan to deal with Gato. As far as their strength, Sepi is easily the strongest. Miko is holding a steady second solely because of his family. Ibukai is trying hard, but he's just not making the progress the other two are. His unique chakra doesn't make it any easier for him."

Kakashi lowered his book. "Thoughts on the Chuunin exams?"

She sighed again. "I...I don't know. Their teamwork is nowhere near where it needs to be, and while Ibukai is strong in his own right, he's not strong enough. I'm thinking of waiting until the next Chuunin exams to let them enter."

Kakashi closed his book. "Want my advice?"

She rolled her eyes. "What, send them back to the Academy?"

"Let them enter."

She blinked. That was certainly not what she expected. "Huh?"

"It's scary having a Genin team. So many things can go wrong, and if it does, it's on your shoulders. However, we have to trust in them to handle themselves. Ibukai will be strongest when you least expect it. Trust me."

"You're just playing favorites."

"Prove it."

"I think I will!"

"H-hey! Give me my Icha Icha back!"

"Catch me if you can!"

"Come here!"


	20. Can we do it? Can we change the future?

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

It was early in the morning, before anyone else started stirring. Naruto hadn't come back from training, and Miko was taking his place on the detail to guard Tazuna. We all _knew_ that today was the day, so Sepi and I were setting out. Kakashi, Anko-sensei, and Miko were seeing us off.

Sepi and I nodded. I looked at Miko. "Sure you can handle things?"

He smirked. "Just hold up your end of things. I'll handle mine."

Anko-sensei looked at us. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "Trust me, Sensei, they're gonna need all the help they can get at the bridge. Make sure no one gets killed before we get back."

She sighed in defeat. "Just...be careful."

"Before you go…"

Kakashi tossed us each a black bundle. Unrolling it, it revealed itself to be a mask, identical to the one Kakashi wore.

"Wouldn't want you guys to be recognized, now do we?" He said cheerfully. "Better hide your headbands, too."

We nodded, putting on the masks and removing our headbands, handing them to Anko-sensei for safekeeping.

I couldn't resist one last dig. I placed my headband across my left eye. "Grr, I'm Kakashi Hatake. I'm always late and I like reading porn!"

Everyone burst out laughing as I narrowly dodged a swipe from an irritated-looking Kakashi. I tossed my headband to Anko and grabbed Sepi by the sleeve, hauling her along as I took off running. "Seeyouguyssoonbye!

... ... ...

Kakashi glared after the retreating figures. "Why that little-!"

Anko patted his shoulder. "Now, now, no need to get offended at the truth."

He gave a defeated sigh.

... ... ...

We leapt through the trees. Thanks to Sepi, we had tracked down Gato's headquarters. He didn't have any other ninja in his employment, just dumb mercenaries. Since I was the one doing the strike, Sepi left it up to me to decide how to attack.

We still had an hour left before Gato was going to leave. (The information was free of charge from a mercenary Sepi questioned, then made leap off a cliff. Having someone who can literally look into someone's mind and control their body was extremely useful.) That meant we still had time to plan.

I had several options. I could kill Gato now, and we could beat feet to the bridge. I could kill Gato en route, but the major problem was that we would be followed by his mercenaries, more than likely. What to do, what to do?

I grinned. "Sepi, I have a plan. You enter his mind, get him out here. I'll carry your body and we'll go to a secluded part of the forest, gather any intel he has, then kill him. His body won't be found for awhile, and we'll have plenty of time to get to the bridge."

A grin, a wildly sadistic grin, grew on her face. "I like it!"

... ... ...

Gato blinked. The last thing he remembered, he was sitting comfortably in his office, chuckling at the thought of destroying the pesky bridge-builder and his family. Now, he was in the forest, tied to a tree, two masked figures in front of him. Both were dressed in black and wore masks. One had gray hair, although quite young, with blackish eyes, and one had blonde hair and pale blue-green eyes.

The blonde knelt in front of him. "Well that was...easy." She said

The boy nodded. "Indeed."

Gato took in the blade on the boy's back and the kunai holster on the girl's thigh. A feeling of dread welled up in his stomach. _Ninja._

The girl smiled, the movement tightening the mask. "Now, let's see what hell I can put you through in the next half-hour, shall we?"

And hell it was.

... ... ...

"Wake him up." I said, my eyes hardening. "I want him to be conscious for this."

Sepi followed my instructions, and Gato's eyes flew open. She stepped away as the midget shook uncontrollably with fear.

"Gato," I began, and his eyes swung to me, "you have ruled the Land of Waves with terror and force. Your plan was flawless, but you made one fatal error: you assumed that shinobi are tools. We're not. We are weapons, but we are human. We think, we feel, we bleed, but we take care of our own. For your crimes, you are sentenced to death."

"You can't do this!" He cried out, struggling in vain against the ropes that held him. "I'm-!"

"A piece of shit." I said flatly, bringing myself down to eye level with him. "And you're wrong. I _can_ do this. I am judge, jury, and executioner. You lost, Gato." I snorted. "And you didn't even dance with me."

He didn't have time to consider my words as I drew my tanto and leapt forward, plunging it into his body.

 _...So easy. Just a stab and push…_

He coughed.

 _We are so fragile…_

His next cough was bloody.

I stepped back, my blade shining from a new coat of blood covering it. I searched my mind, emotions, and feelings, but I didn't feel anything. I just felt...empty.

I lashed out, once, and Gato's head rolled from his shoulders.

 _So this is how it feels to kill._

There was no anger, no sadness, no pity. Just...coldness.

I finally became aware Sepi was talking to me.

"Yo, Ibukai, snap outta it!"

I shook away my thoughts. "Sorry, Sepi. What is it?"

"We gotta go. Like, right now."

I looked at her, confused, but then I felt it too. A demonic, twisting chakra.

"Naruto." I said.

"Naruto." She confirmed.

... ... ...

Haku felt betrayed. He had felt so sure that the Leaf shinobi were going to come through, but here they were, fighting their hardest against Zabuza, Inwe, and himself. To make matters worse, Zabuza was in trouble and the blonde boy in front of him was giving off a powerful, evil chakra.

He lunged forward, and Haku went flying, his mask cracking and falling off, but at the same time, he heard a sound that filled him with dread.

It was like a thousand chirping birds, and as he hit the ground, he saw Kakashi lunging forward, a glowing ball of lightning in one hand as he sped towards the helpless Zabuza.

In a flash, Inwe-san was in front of Zabuza, her own body protecting her father.

"CHIDORI!"

Kakashi's hand was knocked aside with the force of a cannon, his lightning blade burying itself into the side of the bridge. Inwe's retaliatory strike never landed, as a powerful kick sent her flying into Zabuza, knocking both of the ninja back several yards.

When the dust settled, Kakashi's eyes widened. Ibukai's hand was wrapped around Kakashi's wrist, keeping it firmly set in the side of the bridge until the Chidori died. Sepi was standing behind Ibukai, the source of the kick that hit the two missing-nin. Both still wore their masks, and an object swung from Ibukai's hand. Kakashi's eyes widened again as he recognized it, and then he looked into Ibukai's eyes.

Coldness. No remorse. No emotion.

 _Much like mine were…_

 _... ... ..._

I released Kakashi's wrist and stepped back, turning towards Zabuza.

"I thought I said not to kill them." I called out to Anko-sensei.

Anko chuckled, shaking her head. "Leave it to you to arrive at the last possible second. I don't think we could have held off much longer. Zabuza and his spawn is damn good."

"How's the teams holding up?" Sepi asked, her eyes not leaving Zabuza and Inwe.

"Team 7, light injuries. Naruto went berserk when he thought Sasuke had been killed, but Sasuke's injuries aren't life-threatening. Sakura has some minor injuries, Naruto is fine. Miko's almost out of chakra though."

Sepi nodded. "Ibukai, do you want to do the honors?"

I nodded, stepped forward, and tossed Gato's head through the air, where it landed at Zabuza's feet.

"Zabuza Momochi of the Hidden Mist, your employer is dead. Are you going to retreat, or do we have to kill you, too?"

... ... ...

Zabuza started chuckling at the boy's declaration. Of course he wasn't going to continue fighting. He wasn't suicidal, and the Leaf shinobi facing him had earned his (albeit grudging) respect. Besides, he had his daughter to think about.

Speaking of his daughter…

His eyes narrowed and his laughter stopped as he pointed his sword at the gray-haired boy.

"You there, brat. Are you the one who hurt my daughter?"

... ... ...

I froze before slowly backing up. "I can explain…"

"COME HERE!"

"GAH! ANGRY ZABUZA! BYE GUYS!"

... ... ...

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at Anko as Ibukai took off, followed by Zabuza. Anko just shrugged, walked over, and plucked Kakashi's book out of his pouch before plopping down against one of the bridge supports.

"Nah. He'll be fine."

Kakashi glared at her before reaching into his pocket, grabbing his spare Icha Icha, and flipping it open.

"Besides, my father won't kill him. Probably." Inwe replied, walking up with Haku right behind her. Team 7, keeping Tazuna behind them, walked up as well, with Miko and Sepi bringing up the rear.

"What now?" Sakura finally asked.

Inwe shrugged. "Zabuza will blow off some steam, come back, and we'll head to who-knows-where."

Anko looked up from her reading material. "Why don't you guys head back to the Mist?"

"Or come to the Hidden Leaf." Sepi chipped in, earning a couple glares.

Haku was already shaking his head. "The Leaf...would not be a wise idea. We may, however, return to the Mist at a later date."

"You might as well do it before the Chuunin Exams." Anko said, turning a page and doing her best not to giggle. She didn't quite stop the blush that was starting to form, however.

"Chuunin Exams?" Naruto asked, a confused look on his face.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled. "Ugh. The Chuunin Exams are what Genin are required to pass in order to become Chuunin. They happen twice a year, and all hidden villages can send candidates."

"Ohhhh…"

"Dobe." Sasuke muttered.

"What?! What did you call me, Teme?!"

"Dobe!"

"Teme!"

"What a drag." Miko muttered.


	21. There's always consequences

* _I know, I know, I'm late updating again. At least I'm not the guy who updates once every several months, right? Right? Anyways, here's the next chapter. Any suggestions for omakes?*_

"Are you sure you guys don't wanna come with us?" I asked again.

The bridge was finally completed, and Team 6 was heading out about a day before Team 7. They were staying for the opening ceremony, but we weren't, because as Anko-sensei pointed out: we weren't actually supposed to be here.

Zabuza shook his head. After he got over trying to slaughter me, he actually turned out to be a pretty cool guy. Definitely more laid-back than in the anime. Being a parent will do that to you.

"We have to head back to our own village." Haku answered for Zabuza. "We have many things to atone for."

I sighed in defeat. "Alright, but you guys better stay alive. I haven't actually got to fight you yet."

Inwe chuckled. "Oh, don't worry about that. We'll be seeing you guys soon."

"Alright, enough with the mushy stuff." Anko-sensei said, turning and walking away. (Her nose was still buried in the stolen copy of Icha Icha.) "We've got a long ways to go."

Sepi skipped happily next to our sensei. "Isn't page 45 good?"

"Sepi!"

"Well?"

"Yes it is, but that's besides the point!"

Miko sighed. "What a drag." He said with a yawn, following sleepily after the duo.

I turned away, but stopped.

"Zabuza, there's something I've always wanted to say to you."

He blinked. "Huh?"

My team stopped and turned as I looked over my shoulder with a smirk. Well, since I was still wearing the mask Kakashi had given me, it wasn't too noticeable, but still. I took a deep breath in.

"That's a nice sword you have there. Compensating for something?"

Everyone froze as killing intent poured off of Zabuza...and then it vanished.

He was _laughing._

"Oh, kid," he finally said when he was able to take a breath, "the fuckin' nerve!" He wiped away a tear of mirth. "Kill ya later, brat."

My only response was touching two of my fingers to the side of my head, and then waving them in a haphazard salute as I walked away.

... ... ...

Zabuza chuckled and shook his head. "Damn balls of steel. Well done, Kakashi."

Inwe blinked from beside him. "Um, wasn't that kid's sensei the purple-haired crazy chick, Anko?"

Zabuza nodded. "Of course."

"Then…"

"Later." He said, ruffling her hair before turning around. "Haku, Inwe, let's go. We have to get another teammate for you and get you guys ready for the exams."

"Yes, Sensei!" They said together.

... ... ...

I swallowed nervously. The Third Hokage was scanning our mission report, his face impassive, giving no indication of his thoughts.

Finally, he coughed slightly, and I almost jumped at the sound.

"Anko Mitarashi, your team is to be commended for your swift reaction to the imminent threat to Team 7. Well done."

I felt the worry lift from my shoulders when Lord Third caused it to come crashing down again.

"However..."

 _FUCK!_

"...I do need to speak to Ibukai, alone."

Anko-sensei nodded, gave me a reassuring look, and walked out the door. Sepi followed her, looking apologetic, and Miko was the last out the door, looking relieved that it wasn't him that was going to be questioned.

When we were alone, I looked at the wall, floor, ceiling, anything to avoid being caught in the unwavering gaze of Lord Hokage.

"Ibukai Kokori."

I stiffened, meeting the hard eyes of the Hokage. This wasn't the friendly Lord Hokage I knew. No, this was the man who would do anything to ensure the safety of the village.

"I'm only going to ask you this once." He said firmly. "How did you know Kakashi's team was in trouble?"

I swallowed. There it was, the dreaded question. "I...can't really tell you, Lord Hokage," I said, almost shaking with nervousness. "I would if I could," I hastened to add, "but the truth is I'm not sure myself."

He took a deep breath. "Did you know because you helped plan the ambush on Team 7 and felt guilty about your actions?"

 _"WHATTTTTT?!"_ I yelled.

He winced from the sudden volume, and I slammed my hands down on the desk, causing two ANBU to break camouflage and flank me.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" I roared. "I help out comrades, and I'm accused of being a traitor?! You asshole!"

The ANBU moved to grab me, but the Hokage waved them off.

"Please, ANBU-san. This was the reaction I hoped for. A traitor would have not reacted as such."

I was still glaring at him, but I stepped away from the desk and crossed my arms. "Is this why you wanted to talk to me? Some bullshit accusation?"

He shook his head, leaning back. "Not quite. There is the matter of your reckless actions, first chasing after Team 7 without first informing me, and then the assassination of Gato."

I waved it off. "One: no time. Two: because the enemy would have lost their incentive to fight, providing the objective was completed, which, by the way, it was."

"And how did you know this?"

I shifted nervously. "I, ah, had a disagreement with a teammate and went out to the forest to...train. I passed out from chakra exhaustion, and when I woke up, I encountered one of the enemy, although I did not know it at the time. Eventually, I discovered their identity, but instead of fighting, which he didn't want to do either, we decided that if Gato died, Zabuza would have no reason to continue fighting. It was a gamble, but one that payed off."

He sighed, suddenly looking his age. "As much as I am impressed by your actions, it is my duty to reprimand you for such foolish-"

"Save your breath."

I felt the startled twitches of the ANBU still flanking me, and Lord Third froze.

"I know how reckless my actions were, and how much it would have cost if I failed."

Lord Third raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you?"

I jabbed a finger at him. "Because _you_ weren't there. _You_ didn't know what was going on. _I_ did. My team did. We were designed as a T&I team, correct? That means that we are going to need to think on our feet, and improvise. I did what I had to do. If you want to punish me, then go ahead and punish me, but I stand by what I did, for better or for worse. So punish me or let me go, just _get it over with already._ "

I glared at him defiantly.

Lord Hokage shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "That will be all, Ibukai."

I turned around and brushed past the ANBU, striding out the door without looking back. If I did, I would have seen Anko and Kakashi slip in through the window while the Hokage did his best not to laugh.

... ... ...

"You have raised an outstanding student, Anko-chan." Hiruzen Sarutobi said, placing his Hokage's hat on the desk.

She chuckled. "I can't wait for these guys to truly grow up. I'm gonna have _funnnnnn_."

Kakashi shuddered.

Hiruzen turned his attention to the silver-haired Jounin. "And how do you feel about his progress, Kakashi?"

Kakashi was very, very careful to keep his voice neutral. "I've already stated my opinion, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen sighed. "Very well. Anko, your request that your team be enrolled in the upcoming Chuunin exams is hereby approved."

Anko nodded. "Very well, Lord Hokage. I'll inform the Kokori family."

The Hokage was already rising. "No, I'll do it myself. There are certain...factors...that they should be made aware of."

... ... ...

"Lord Hokage?" Shena Kokori asked as she opened the door.

Hiruzen smiled warmly. "Good evening. May I come in?"

"Of course!" She exclaimed, opening the door all the way.

Toru came into the living room only to have his mouth drop open in surprise. "Hiruzen?"

"Toru. It's been too long, old friend."

Toru smiled warmly. "Indeed. Can I get you anything?"

His smile faded as the Hokage shook his head. "This is...an official visit, I'm afraid."

Toru's smile had completely faded. "I see. Please, have a seat."

The Hokage took a seat as Toru and Shena sat on their couch, directly across from Hiruzen.

Lord Third cleared his throat. "Anko Mitarashi has made the decision to enter Team 6 in the Chuunin Exams. As you know, if Ibukai does earn the promotion to Chuunin, it will give him access to secrets previously unknown to him."

A heavy silence followed this announcement. Finally, Shena broke the silence. "Why are you telling us this?" She demanded. "Is it just to give us something to agonize over?"

"Shena…" Toru began.

"Don't 'Shena' me!" She said angrily, turning towards him.

"This is not to give you something to agonize over." Hiruzen said tiredly. "This is to give you and Toru a choice. You can choose to wait, take the chance he might not learn the secrets that pertain to him. Which, considering the fact that Sepi is his teammate and enjoys ferreting out secrets for fun, I consider this very unlikely. Or…"

"Or?!" Shena spat.

The Hokage firmly met her gaze. "Or, you could tell him yourselves."

... ... ...

I walked into a very, _very_ tense atmosphere.

"Lord Hokage?" I asked hesitantly, seeing the white-robed figure seated across from my father and very...angry mother.

All gazes in the room swung towards me, and I gulped.

"I'm...just gonna head to my room." I said, fleeing.


	22. I am: SHINOBI

_*I HAVE ANOTHER FOLLOWER! YAY! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story! In fact, I think I'm gonna write an omake for you guys. It's past due. Plus, we need some light-heartedness considering we are about to enter into the Chuunin exams, and the invasion arc :( But, here we go, to all you wonderful people! The next chapter!*_

I was, once again, trying to hit the tree with either a kunai or a shuriken. I was failing, again, but I didn't really care. It had been a week since we had gotten back from the Land of Waves, and my parents had been acting strange since then, like they wanted to tell me something but couldn't. Well, actually, come to think of it...they had been acting strange since the Hokage visited…

"Do you think the Hokage told them what happened?" Sepi asked from where she sat in a tree, watching me.

I shook my head, pulling a kunai back and letting it fly. It hit _a_ tree, at least.

"No. I doubt he'd tell civilians, even my parents, what happened on a mission."

Miko yawned, closing his eyes again. He opened them every time to make sure the kunai wasn't heading his way. After a little while, I took pity on him and practiced walking on trees instead.

Sepi got that gleam _*shudder*_ in her eye that we knew all too well.

"Sepi…" I said warily. "What are you planning?"

Miko's eyes shot open and he bolted upright. Not much could get him to move that fast, but Sepi planning something was one of them. He had made the mistake of being in her path once. That was enough. No one ever crossed Sepi twice, not if they knew what was good for them.

"What makes you think that I'm planning something?" She said innocently.

Miko and I shuddered. _The last time she had used that voice…_

Bad memories!

I shook my head. "You know what, never mind."

We heard a giggle, and we all looked up at our sensei, who had been sitting in the tree above Sepi for the past hour, her nose buried in the stolen Icha Icha.

I sighed. "Sensei, are you gonna tell us why you had us meet you here?"

She looked up, considered it for a brief second, and then gave us her well-thought-out reply:

"No."

With that, she returned to her book. When we all glared at her, she relented.

"Alright, jeez. No sense of humor. I signed you guys up for the Chuunin Exams. Here's the forms you need to fill out. Now, you can always not to choose the exams…"

We looked at each other before Sepi and I burst out laughing, and Miko smirked.

Anko-sensei grinned evilly. "Alright, that settles that." She tossed each of us a paper, which was the registration form for the exams.

"You guys are gonna kick some ass!"

... ... ...

The next day, I woke up early. Well, okay, I didn't really sleep. Mostly dozed. About 4 A.M., I gave up and just started cleaning and sharpening my tanto. At 6, my mother came in. She just watched me as I went over my blade with a cleaning rag for the seventh time.

"You don't have to do this, you know." She said. I looked up in surprise, for the first time seeing the worry in her eyes. I looked back down at my blade, looking at the reflection of my face. I was still wearing the mask Kakashi gave me. I hadn't bothered to give it back. It felt...safe. However, it made me look like what I was aspiring to be: a shinobi.

 _If we are truly trapped here, is this what I really want to be?_

I thought about it. In truth, I had been thinking about it ever since I had learned what world we were in. If I wasn't a shinobi, I would never have to kill. I wouldn't have to make the hard decisions, do things I would regret, and have faces haunt my dreams. Just...lay down my blade. It would be easy…

...But that wasn't an option. Not for me.

I looked up at her, determination in my eyes. "Yes, I do."

"Someone else can do it." She pleaded.

"Like someone else could to Lord Fourth's job?" I snapped. I didn't know why, but I was angry. She was just trying to keep me safe, but I felt anger burn inside my heart. "Like someone else can do my sensei's job? Or Kakashi's? Or Iruka-sensei's?!"

I slammed my tanto back into its sheathe. "And if I leave it for someone else, and they die, then that blood is on my hands!"

"Shena." My father said, walking up behind her. "We talked about this. It's his decision."

"He's just a child!"

"No, I'm not." I snapped, causing them both to look at me. "I haven't been a child since I decided to become a shinobi. I haven't been a child since I received my team assignment, since I took my first mission."

I took a breath. "And I haven't been a child since I killed Gato in the Land of Waves."

They both froze as I stood up and brushed past them. I looked back once as I opened the door.

"I'm a shinobi," I said softly, "and I will never leave my job for someone else to do. I will _never_ abandon my comrades."

... ... ...

"We need to tell him." Toru said softly, pulling his wife into an embrace.

She nodded, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his chest. "After the exams."

"After the exams."

* _Sorry for the shorter chapter, everybody. What do you suppose the secret is that everybody is hiding from Ibukai? I'll update the next chapter soon. Be sure to send in ideas for omakes!*_


	23. Let the exams begin!

_*Hey guys! So, as a couple of you may have seen, I posted a rather hilarious Omake but had to take it down when I realized that I accidentally gave away several big secrets before the appointed time. The good news is I'll be able to post it after the Chuunin exam ark. Let's face it, we're gonna need some cheering up after that. So, here's the next chapter, and I'll post as quickly as I can so you guys can get that Omake you beyond deserve. Enjoy!*_

I strode into the building where the first exam was taking place, shoving through the crowd, ignoring the complaints. Miko and Sepi followed behind me as I shoved through everyone.

"Dude, what the hell?" One guy yelled at me, and I pushed him out of the way, only to find his fist flying at my face. It stopped mid-strike, and I looked back at Miko. He was stifling a yawn as he used his clan's jutsu to stop the guy's fist. Sepi shook her head, clicking her tongue as she stepped in close.

"Bad ninja." She said, placing him in a Genjutsu.

I shoved him aside, pushing through the crowd and to the stairs, ignoring the looks I received from the Genin who were fooled by the Genjutsu the Chuunin had placed onto the room sign. I mean, who couldn't figure out that we were only on the second floor?

"Are you...okay?" Miko asked. "You're kinda angry today. It's really..."

"Finish. That. Sentence." I growled.

"Ibukai, he's right." Sepi broke in. "If something is going on, we need to know. We're a team."

"How nice of you guys remember." I snapped. "About damn time. Now, let's just get this over with."

I threw the door open to the real testing room, revealing an _extremely_ tense atmosphere and a bunch of angry-looking Genin.

 _Great._

I met the other Genin's glares with my own. Bunch of no-good-

"TANUKI-PANDA!" Sepi screamed out from right next to me, taking off, causing Miko and I to give startled leaps before taking off after her.

"Dammit, what a drag!" Miko yelled as we slid to a stop.

I facepalmed.

Sepi had grabbed Gaara, holding him bridal-style and hugging the crap out of him. Temari and Kankuro were both frozen, mouths hanging open and eyes wide. As for Gaara, he was motionless, staring straight ahead, eyes almost as big as dinner plates.

"Sepi, put him down." I sighed.

She shook her head, eyes tightly closed, smiling happily. "Uh-uh."

"Wha-" Temari managed.

Miko sighed as well. "Come on, Sepi, you're making a scene."

"But he's so cuddly!"

"Look, you can kidnap him after the second exam." I said. "Right now isn't the time."

"Promise?!"

"I promise."

"Yay!"

She set him down and patted his head. "Until next time, Takuni-panda."

With that (and sighs from Miko and I) we walked off.

... ... ...

"What. The hell. Was that?" Temari managed to say.

Kankuro looked at Gaara. "Gaara?" No reaction. "Gaara?"

He poked his brother's face before leaping behind Temari.

Still no reaction.

"What the?" He slowly inched forward before poking Gaara's face again.

Still...nothing.

He turned to Temari. "I think that girl broke Gaara!"

... ... ...

I plopped down into the seat I had been assigned, completely ignoring my surroundings.

 _Why am I so angry?_

"You again?"

I looked up as someone sat down next to me. I blinked in mild surprise.

"Haku?"

He gave a small smile. "Indeed."

"You guys entered the Chuunin Exams too?"

He nodded. "Indeed. Zabuza has been given a Genin team with Inwe and I. We have another member, too. Jeki is his name, son of the current Mizukage."

I looked at him in surprise. "Mei has a son? Wait a sec, they gave Zabuza a team?!"

He laughed. "Well, it was more like he said he'd get the team or he'd go rogue again. They didn't really have a choice. And yes, she has a son."

I considered this. "And the Kekkei Genkai? Does he have it too?"

He raised both of his eyebrows. "How did you…?"

"Sepi."

He opened his mouth, then closed it and shook his head. "You know, I'm not gonna ask. Yes, he does. He can't control it very well, though."

We both looked up at Ibiki as he started speaking. I wasn't paying much attention though.

... ... ...

I looked past the Chuunin sitting next to me and out of the window. This really sucked, being stuck in here. Idly, I wondered what the real me was doing right now…

I yawned from where I was sitting on top of the Hokage's heads.

"I love the shadow clone jutsu." I said, smirking.

Sepi chuckled. "Yea. Now we don't have to participate in the first exam.

Miko yawned. "Thanks for the water clone, Sepi."

"No problem. You should learn to make a clone too, though."

"Too much effort."

"What are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be in the first exam."

We all looked up at Anko-sensei, who had her hands on her hips.

"Well, technically we are." I replied.

"Yea, Sensei." Sepi chimed in. "Nothing in the rules say we can't use clones to do the first exam."

She raised an eyebrow. "And you're not worried about any curveballs the exams might throw?"

I waved it off. "Meh. My clone will alert me and Sepi and I will take control of it if that happens. Her water clones will go off my shadow clone's reactions."

Miko grinned and closed his eyes. "And we get to relax here in the meantime."

She sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Because we're your students?" Sepi asked.

Anko-sensei sat down. "When did you switch out with your clones?"

"Right before the exams started." Miko explained. "Sepi cast a small Genjutsu to cover us, they made the clones, we waited until everyone was inside and then walked out the doors."

"Besides, what T&I team would we be if we let one exam scare us? No fighting will happen, so the clones have instructions to dispel themselves once the exam is over." I said.

She looked between the three of us and sighed. "And this is my team?" She groaned. "Fine. You three up for a mission, then?"

I looked at Sepi and then back at Anko. "Um, Sensei, aren't you needing to be at the exam in an hour or so?"

She nodded. "I said you three. Just a simple D-rank mission, nothing you three can't handle."

Sepi and I grinned, but Miko groaned. "Do we have to?"

"Yes." Sepi and I answered.

"What a drag…"

... ... ...

The Hokage lifted an eyebrow at us. "Aren't you supposed to be in the exams?"

"Technically, we are." Sepi answered.

"Our clones, at least." I supplied.

"It's really just a drag." Miko yawned.

The Hokage smiled and shook his head. "Anko, you have a good team. A D-rank mission, then? Here you-"

Sepi leapt forward and snatched the scroll out of his hand, eagerly flinging it open.

"-go." He finished with a resigned smile.

Anko just shook her head and walked out, and Miko (despite his complaints) and I eagerly peered over her shoulder.

"Fruit picking?" I asked, disappointed.

The Hokage sighed. "It is a D-rank mission."

We thought about it. "Do you have anything...harder?" Sepi asked.

The Hokage smiled. "Complete that first, and then we'll talk. After all, your Sensei isn't with you right now."

We nodded, albeit unhappily. "Alright." We agreed.

... ... ...

We actually arrived in the Hokage's office a little after the first exam ended. A burst of memories signalled me that the first exam was over, and I relayed the gathered information to my teammates.

"So, Zabuza has a team?" Sepi asked. "That is definitely...unexpected."

Miko nodded. "And the Mizukage has a son who is on said team. With Haku and Inwe, Zabuza's daughter, they're definitely skilled enough to become Chuunin."

"There's a chance we'll have to face them. I doubt Haku will try to kill us, and I don't think Inwe will, but Jeki? We'll have to fight him seriously."

We opened the door to find Anko and an _extremely_ pissed-off Ibiki standing in front of the Hokage's desk.

And Sepi did what Sepi always does.

"IBIKI-SAN!" She yelled, leaping onto the scarred Jounin's back. "Torture anybody fun lately?"

He tried to keep an angry facade, but I could see his lips twitch in amusement.

"As I was saying, Lord Hokage, there should be a rule stating that the _actual_ Genin must be in the room for the exams."

Sepi lit up. "Wait, there's a rule being added because of what we did? YESSS!"

He sighed and Anko-sensei laughed. "Face it, Ibiki, my team beat you."

"This time." He grumbled.

I shook my head before handing the mission scroll to the Hokage. "Mission complete. No deviances or unexpected problems arose. Mission conditions were met, as instructed, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage smiled and accepted the scroll. "It's a wonder you're not Chuunin already. Anko, you have a good team."

"Even their clones saw through the last question." Ibiki grumbled, but he was smiling.

The Hokage folded his hands and rested his chin on them. "Team 6, you're free for the rest of the day. Meet at-"

"The Forest of Death?" Sepi offered, and I laughed at the synchronized facepalms we received.

"We _are_ a T&I team, Hokage-sama." I said.

"And we get into a lot of confidential information, thanks to Sepi." Miko finished. "It's just a big drag."

"Dismissed." The Hokage told us, amused.

As we turned to leave, he called out to me. "Oh, Ibukai? Head to the memorial stone. Kakashi is waiting for you."


	24. Secrets, secrets, secrets

_*Here we go, guys! The next chapter! Might as well as put in the disclaimer that I still haven't managed to steal Naruto from its actual owner. Miko, Sepi, and Ibukai are mine.*_

"Kakashi-sensei, you're not late?" I asked, amused, walking up beside him. He just glanced at me before turning back to the stone. We were silent for perhaps an hour, lost in our own thoughts, before he spoke.

"How is your training progressing?"

"On the Chidori or in general?" I asked.

"Yes."

I glared at him without any real anger. "Of course that's your answer. My chakra control is excellent, my reserves are growing larger, and both my strength and speed are improving. I still can't throw a weapon worth a damn, but at least my blade skills are getting better. I can kinda water walk now, although it's still shaky. As far as the Chidori is concerned, I can slightly coat my blade in lightning. The chakra nature and form manipulation is still hard. I can't do the actual Chidori yet. I can only manage a few strands of lightning before it fizzles out."

His only response was a nod.

I shook my head at him. "That's why you called me here?"

"Show me the progress on Chidori."

I rolled my eyes but obeyed, running through the handsigns and then attempting to form the Chidori. As usual, it fizzled out.

I looked up and jolted in surprise when I saw him using his Sharingan to observe my attempt.

" _Tora_." He said.

I tilted my head to the side. "Huh?"

"Add the handsign _Tora_ right before the last handsign for Chidori that you do."

Understanding slowly dawned. " _Tora_ is common in fire style."

"It will help with altering Chidori to your unique chakra nature. Use your shadow clone, too. Just once per day, though. No need to burn your reserves out. The memories will cut down the time you need to spend training. Now, once more."

I repeated the handsigns with the slight alteration to add _Tora_ to the mix.

"Chidori!"

This time, a ball of red lightning flared alive in my palm for a millisecond before sizzling out. I swayed, amazed at how much chakra it had taken out of me.

Kakashi reached out and steady me. "Excellent. I wouldn't recommend trying to use it in battle, at least until you master it."

"But...I can't really do that without the Sharingan. That's how you mastered yours, right?" I asked slowly.

He gave his famous eye smile. "Just trust me. Even if you can't use Chidori in open battle, it will work for a surprise attack. Now, run along. You'll need sleep before the second exam."

I smiled. "Thanks, Kakashi."

"It's what I'm here for."

... ... ...

Sepi's eyes narrowed as she watched Ibukai walk off to meet up with Kakashi. Miko immediately recognized that look and paled.

"What a drag!" He took off. "I'm not part of this!"

She smirked evilly. "Hehe. Secrets…"

... ... ...

She slipped into the secure records room that night, bypassing the security with ease. It wasn't until she was rummaging through a records cabinet that she felt a presence behind her.

She looked over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue. "You're always here when I'm getting into something I'm really not supposed to. Bug off, will ya?"

The ANBU shook his head.

She sighed. "Fine, at least take off that mask, will ya? It's not like I don't already know who you are. Those masks aren't as sneaky as the ANBU think."

He sighed and removed his mask, silently watching her pull out a scroll.

"Here we-...shit." She said, looking at the seal on the scroll.

"Really? A high S-class scroll? What the hell is in this, anyways?"

Without further ado, she stuck it out towards the ANBU. "Open it."

He sighed. "I cannot."

She pouted, and he shook his head. Those puppy eyes weren't going to get him this...DAMMIT!

Sepi beamed, accepting the now-unsealed scroll and flinging it open.

Her mouth dropped.

"...I wasn't expecting this." She finally said. "He doesn't know, does he?"

"And he cannot." The ANBU replied. "Ordered by the Third Hokage himself. Only five...well, six people, know of the details in that scroll. Of those six, only four know the whole story, you being one of them."

She slowly handed the scroll back to him, and he re-sealed it. "That...doesn't seem fair. I mean, he has a right to know."

The ANBU shook his head. "Not now. In time, yes, but now it would do more harm than good."

She nodded, but then turned to him, determined. "Fine, but I get to tell Sasuke, when the time comes."

"Sepi-"

"Don't 'Sepi' me! I explained to you all of this already!"

He sighed. "Alright. But not until he's ready."

She smirked. "Would I really tell him before then?"

"Yes." He answered immediately. "You're too nosy for your own good."

"You mean for the good of the village. I'm just fine."

He just groaned.

 _*Sepi, Sepi, Sepi. What secrets have you stumbled upon this time?*_


	25. Forest of Death? Let's cheat

* _Let the second stage of the Chuunin Exams begin!*_

We looked at the crowd gathering at the Forest of Death.

"We're cheating, right?" Miko asked hopefully.

I smirked. "Of course. No unnecessary effort."

He gave a relieved sigh. "Finally."

"I've got this." Sepi smirked. "Just be ready to grab the other scroll."

... ... ...

I put the Earth scroll in my ninja tool pouch, glancing at Sepi as she put her hands on her hips and studied the two Chuunin giving out the scrolls. They glanced at each other, nervous.

"So…" She started, and they both fairly jumped.

"I've been hearing that we're supposed to get a talk when we become teenagers?" She said expectantly. "What's this talk supposed to be about?"

I almost burst out laughing as the two Chuunin started growing red.

"Uh...I really don't think…" One of them started, but Sepi cut him off excitedly.

"So you do know what I'm talking about! So what's this talk? People keep talking about birds and bees and kunai and pouches, but I don't get how they're related. I mean, what's with the comparisons? I have a feeling it's supposed to mean something, but no one will tell me what! So what is it?"

I almost felt sorry for the Chuunin as I snagged a Heaven scroll. Almost. They were growing redder and redder by the second as Sepi kept badgering them. I gave a small nod to Miko, and he walked over to Sepi.

"Sepi, if you keep talking to them, we'll be late to get to our gate. Go ask your dad later, I'm sure he'll tell you."

"Really?!" She asked, whirling.

He nodded. "Yep."

"Yay!" She said, skipping out of the tent. The Chuunin gave him a thankful nod as we walked out.

... ... ...

Izumo Kamizuki, one of the Chuunin handing out the scrolls, glanced at his partner Kotetsu Hagane.

"Wait a second…"

Kotetsu glanced up. "What?"

"How did they know they were going to a gate? The Genin haven't been told yet…"

Kotetsu paled. "Count the scrolls."

Izumo obeyed, then paled.

"We are _soooo_ screwed!" He yelled.

... ... ...

Anko almost burst out laughing when two very nervous Chuunin told her what happened.

"Did you catch them?" She asked, amused.

Kotetsu shook his head, not daring to meet her eyes.

She chuckled. "Alright. Don't worry about it. We have several extra scrolls anyways. Just pay better attention."

He nodded and headed back to Izumo, relieved.

Anko shook her head and chuckled again. Those three were so becoming Chuunin!

... ... ...

We made a beeline for the tower. We already had both scrolls, and due to my previous experience in the Forest of Death, we made excellent time. 87 minutes, to be exact.

Anko-sensei was in the middle of eating dango when we unsealed the scrolls and summoned her.

"What the?!"

Sepi smiled sweetly at her. "Hi, Sensei."

She glanced at her watch. "You guys are done already? I haven't even finished my dango yet!"

I shrugged. "What can I say? If you look at loopholes in the rules, you finish faster."

Anko-sensei gave a sigh of resignation, but she was smiling. "Why am I not surprised?"

Sepi smirked.

"Alright. Since you guys have another five days here, better get comfortable. Sepi, continue practicing with your Genjutsu. Miko, try to stay awake and do something productive, or else you're gonna be Sepi's test subject." He shuddered, and Anko-sensei chuckled as she continued. "Ibukai, work more on your Ninjutsu. I believe Kakashi has given you tips?"

I nodded.

"Good. See you all in five days."

With that, she disappeared.

Sepi looked around. "Do we have to stay here?"

I sighed. "Yes. Besides, Gaara will be here soon."

I ignored her squeal of happiness and headed for the roof. There was no way I was going to stay idle for five days.

 _*This is a realllllyyyy short chapter, so I'm gonna upload another one today as well. No need to thank me, I know you all are swelling with gratitude as you read this. XD*_


	26. Five days to train

_*Alright guys, here is the second chapter for today. What can I say except you're welcome?*_

I slumped on the ground, the modified Chidori fizzling out again. I had been at it for a little more than an hour, but my chakra reserves were so low that it was going to be several more hours before I could try it again.

I looked up at the sky. What was I doing? If I changed the timeline, would it really be for the better?

I looked down at my left hand, which was singed from constantly trying to form the Chidori.

 _If I can't even use one jutsu...how am I supposed to save them? Am...am I even supposed to?_

 _CLANG!_

I looked up in surprise to see a katana with a black blade, much like the one Zabuza's daughter wielded, land on the ground next to me. My eyes traveled from it to Zabuza, who was standing about twenty feet away from me.

"On your feet." He said.

Slowly, I stood, picking the blade up from the ground.

... ... ...

I collapsed on the ground, sweat rolling off of my body.

"Is this payback for knocking Inwe out?" I moaned.

Zabuza smirked from behind the bandages covering his face. "I owe Kakashi one. I figure this is a good way to even the score."

"By torturing me for hours on end?" I grumbled before my brain caught up. "Wait, what do you mean, you 'owe Kakashi?'"

He smirked. "He unknowingly set me and a rather sexy Stone Village Kunoichi up. Hence, Inwe."

"Ugh. More info than I needed. What I mean is, why are you doing this to me? Shouldn't you be torturing one of his team?"

He just stared at me. "Seriously?"

I sat up. "Seriously! The only way I know him is my sensei stalks him all the time!"

He sweatdropped. "And the mask?"

That brought me up short. "Oh. He gave it to me on the Wave mission so I wouldn't be recognized by Gato's men."

He looked up at the sky, giving a dry chuckle. "So you don't know, huh? Interesting."

I glared at him. "Know what?"

"Look, kid, if they haven't told you, I'm not going to. Bug Kakashi about it sometime, though. Now, enough training for today. Get some rest, we'll go at it again early tomorrow."

"What do you…?"

I looked up at the sky, and this time I sweatdropped as the moon stared back at me.

"IT'S NIGHT?!"

... ... ...

The next few days were this way. Sepi disappeared in the morning, Miko slept all day, and I went to the roof to train, first with the Chidori and then with Zabuza, learning swordplay. I managed to keep a shadow clone active for about two hours, which helped a little for training. Mostly, though, it was just repetition for the swordplay, and feeling my way along with the Chidori.

I tried several more times to figure out what Zabuza meant when he said he was 'paying back Kakashi,' but I met a brick wall. So, I did the only sensible thing that I could.

"Hey Sepi?" I asked, walking up to where she was carrying Gaara over her shoulder, hiding from Temari and Kankuro.

She turned and beamed at me. "Hey, Ibukai! It's pretty much after the second exam, right?"

I waved it off. "I don't really care. I need a favor."

She raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Zabuza is training me because he 'owes Kakashi.' I need to know what the connection is that makes him feel like training me evens up with Kakashi."

Her eyes widened, and mine narrowed. "You already know." I said.

She winced an gave a smile. "Uhh...you're an awesome person?"  
"Sepi!"

"Look, I can't tell you!"

"Why not?" I growled.

She was about to answer, but Temari and Kankuro finally caught up to her.

"Come here!" Temari yelled.

"EEP! ANGRY SAND SIBLINGS! BYE IBUKAI!"

... ... ...

Kankuro stopped running, chest heaving. Temari had taken off after the girl that had kidnapped Gaara again. (Who the hell was crazy enough to do that?!) He couldn't run anymore, though. They had to have been chasing for her for two hours straight. Worse, Kankuro suspected Gaara was enjoying it. Kankuro didn't blame him. First person in years whose aim wasn't to kill Gaara was a cute blonde that kidnapped him.

Lucky bastard.

He straightened up and took a look at the blonde's teammate. He was dressed in dark grey and black clothing, with a mask covering his face. He was currently glaring in the direction Temari and the crazy Leaf ninja carrying Gaara had disappeared in.

"Is everyone in this village crazy?" He asked, chest heaving.

The ninja's gaze swung towards him. Kankuro thought behind the mask, he was grinning.

"Better believe it. I mean, who else would have a ninja that wants to cuddle the container of Shukaku?"

Kankuro froze. "What?"

The ninja rolled his eyes. "Seriously, not that big of a secret. Don't blame me if she messes with the seal so Gaara can actually get some sleep, though. She's interested in sealing, so I wouldn't put it past her."

Kankuro was just frozen.

The ninja turned away, but then changed his mind and stepped closer.

"A word of warning." he growled. "We may look weak, but I assure you, if anybody dares attack us, we will show no mercy."

The killing intent he had been radiating slowly faded. "Until then, you're welcome here. I would think twice if you are planning to try anything, though."

With that, he was gone.

 _We are so fucked_. Kankuro thought.


	27. Preliminary matches

_*I HAS MORE FOLLOWERS! Guys, you're seriously awesome! People favoriting and following my stories...*sniffs and wipes away a tear* I'm just happy that you guys are enjoying it. Okay, on to the update: I had this story written out for like, another 20 or 25 chapters, but then it got really dark and I wrote myself into a corner (again) so I'm changing it up. I've got to the invasion written out, and I'm gonna try to make the new version of the story much happier. Don't worry, I'm not updating any previous chapters, so you don't need to worry about the history changing. That being said, I would love to hear your guys' opinions on what should happen. Also, I'm gonna write an omake just because you guys deserve it, as well as there is some parts with lots more feels coming up. Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!*_

I took a deep breath.

Of course, we made it through the second exam. However, we were all gathered in the room for the preliminary matches, and there was...a lot of people here.

I was nervous. We had succeeded so far because of our foreknowledge of this world. Now, however, the timeline was becoming more and more unpredictable. With the fights, who knew what was going to happen?

The Third Hokage was explaining the real reason behind the exams, but like I said, I wasn't paying attention. I was scanning the instructors, spotting Orochimaru in a second before moving on. Zabuza looked smug, as was expected. His team made it through with flying colors. I caught Anko-sensei's gaze and she sent me a smirk and a nod before subtly glancing at Kakashi.

He must have felt her gaze, because he glanced at her before following her gaze to me. I met his eyes (well, eye) and held it for a few seconds.

 _Dammit, Kakashi, just what am I to you?_

He held my gaze as well, only breaking it when we were told to clear the floor for the first match. He then stopped, glanced over his shoulder, and gave a short nod.

 _I will find out. I swear it._

 _... ... ..._

I looked down at Neji and Hinata, worried. What if this was like cannon?

My mouth dropped open.

Neji was smiling.

 _What. The. Fuck?_

He gave a small bow to Hinata. Not a mocking bow, either, but an actual bow. Hinata...actually was confident as she bowed back, a smile on her face. They settled into their stances, both equal confident.

Sepi was staring with much the same shock as the match began. No anger from Neji, no killing intent. Just...respect. Hinata was stronger, too, and even though there was still a very large gap between the skill levels, it was nowhere near bad as it had been.

"Is this because…?" Sepi finally asked.

"What exactly happened?" I muttered.

Miko sighed. "I have some memory of the event. His behavior was altered ever since his fight with you."

We all looked back at the field, and I couldn't help but smile. Hinata had lost, being unable to use chakra, and a blow from Neji sent her flying. However, what made me smile was that he helped her up.

"Well, at least they really are family this time around." I finally said.

"Uh...Ibukai, nice appreciation of the bonding experience, but you're up." Sepi said.

I looked up at the board. "Huh? Who am I up…?"

IBUKAI KOKORI VS. MIKO NARA.

Miko groaned. "Man, this is such a drag."

I sucked in a lungful of air, turning and walking for the stairs.

"Ibukai."

I turned in surprise to see Shikamaru standing there.

"Yea?" I asked, confused.

"Don't let Miko fool you." He said, deadly serious. No slouch, no lazy air about him. Just warning in his eyes. "He's extremely dangerous. I doubt he would use it against a comrade, but he knows our Shadow Stitching technique.

"That...complicates things." I said slowly. "Thanks for the heads up."

On the way down, I passed Neji, who nodded as we passed each other. I smiled and nodded back as Hinata fairly skipped beside him, excitedly talking about how she hoped Naruto was impressed and how she felt that she was growing stronger. Neji looked at her with a brotherly affection, smiling and nodding at her comments.

My fists clenched. _Miko...don't use that jutsu, because...I can't die. Not now. Not ever. I WILL make this ending a better one. I will protect them!_

With that determination, I stepped onto the field.

Miko and I made the seal of confrontation, facing each other. In his eyes, there was coldness. I took a deep breath as everyone else faded, leaving just me and him.

"Begin!"

I leapt forward, drawing my blade and swinging it horizontally, almost catching him by surprise. He dodged before drawing a kunai and leaping forward to meet me.

Sparks flew as we leapt apart and charged again.

It was...a dance. I truly understood what that phrase meant as we flew at each other, each trying to outdo the other with blade skills and Taijutsu, without reservation. We weren't comrades in that instant. I understood how deadly serious this match was as I dodged a backswing and leapt back as he threw an explosive tag.

"You don't mean to hold back, do you?" I asked quietly, so no one else could hear.

"You and Sepi," he growled, "are one of them. Have you forgotten about our home?!"

"No," I said quietly, "but we can't just abandon them."

He threw a set of kunai at me, forcing me to dodge and block, all the while carrying on our quiet conversation. "They aren't real! This world isn't real!"

My eyes flashed, and I snatched a kunai out of the air and hurled it back at him, forcing him to dive away, eyes wide with surprise.

"How can you say that?!" I fairly yelled. "After all we've been through, after everything this world has been through?! How?!"

"Because it's true!" He yelled back defiantly. I looked down in surprise as my body froze.

I smirked.

You really think you've trapped me?

 _He smirked as well. "Shadow possession jutsu, complete."_

His hands changed. "Shadow stitching jutsu!"

"Miko, no!" Shikamaru called out, but it was too late.

... ... ...

Miko froze as Ibukai's body exploded into a cloud of smoke and a cold blade touched the back of his neck.

Ibukai's gaze was hard as he met Miko's fearful glance.

"They're real to me." He said quietly. "Give up or I won't stay my blade."

Miko growled in frustration. With Shadow Stitching still in effect, he wasn't able to switch to Shadow Possession in time to to prevent Ibukai from sliding his blade forward a couple inches. Not now, at least.

The blade pressed harder. "Now."

"Proctor! I give up!" He said, standing up and walking away.

"Winner, Ibukai Kokori!"

... ... ...

Miko couldn't help but smile. If the two he came to this forsaken world with wouldn't help him get back to his own, he knew someone who could.

And thanks to Ibukai's mistake, he had a bargaining chip, too.

... ... ...

I rubbed my eyes as I got back to the stands.

"What's the matter? What happened?" Sepi asked.

"Nothing. Miko's just pissed."

"I meant with your eyes."

I sighed. "They burn like a bitch."

"Really?" A firm voice said from beside me, and I gulped as I looked into Anko-sensei's eyes. "And how long has this been happening?"

"A couple months?" I said hesitantly. "I didn't want to tell you because...well…"

"You were afraid there was something wrong?" She supplied.

I nodded and she sighed. "Dammit. I thought something like this would happen. Look, go home and rest. I'll bring you word of who you're facing in the third exam. You'll have a month to train."

"And my eyes?" I asked quietly, and she gave an explosive sigh.

"Yea, those. Look, I'll send the people that can tell you what's going on. Stupid S-class secrets." She mumbled the last part.

I looked back to the match board, but Sepi shooed me away. "I'll let you know how it goes."

I nodded before turning to leave. "Thanks."

"What are friends for?"

... ... ...

Sepi turned to their sensei. "He needs to know, now. Especially with what happened to Sasuke."

Anko grimaced. "Yea, he does. Trouble is, only three people, well, four, currently have the authorization to tell him."

Kakashi knew something was up when Anko and Sepi cornered him as he came back from sealing Sasuke's Curse Mark.

"Um..."

"His eyes are burning." Anko said flatly, and Sepi gave Kakashi a knowing, you-better-fucking-tell-him-or-I-will look.

He sighed. "I know what you're thinking, but no. It's not-"

"Your place?" A voice asked from behind him, and Kakashi glared at Zabuza.

"What do you want?"

Zabuza smirked. "Saw what happened, and I agree with this psychotic pair. The kid needs to know."

Kakashi rubbed his forehead. "What deity did I piss off to get saddled with you three?" He looked at Zabuza. "You weren't just training him with a sword, were you?"

"Consider this payback for Inwe's mother, Kakashi." Zabuza smirked.

"Leave her out of this! That was years ago!"

"And yet she's still the best kunoichi I ever met." Zabuza countered. "You set us up, and as much as that wasn't intentional, this is payback for it. The kid deserves to know the truth."

Kakashi sighed. "Alright. If his parents don't tell him, I will."

"I wanna be there!" Sepi proclaimed. "He's gonna need his teammate nearby!"

Kakashi was already shaking his head. "If he's anything like I think he is, he's going to need to be alone for awhile. He'll need you afterwards."

Anko looked in the direction Ibukai had gone. "He...will. It's gonna take him awhile."

... ... ...

I knew my parents were hiding something from me the instant I explained what happened, about how my eyes were burning.

I was about to confront them about it, but instead I headed to my room, falling onto my bed after setting my katana aside.

Instinctively, I pulled out _The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_ and began reading. It wasn't long, however, before I fell asleep, wondering just one thing:

 _What was everyone hiding from me?_


	28. Secrets revealed

_*Alright folks, here it is: the secret that people have been hiding from Ibukai! I know it's rough, but I'm doing the best I can. Enjoy!*_

"Ibukai?" My mother said from the doorway.

My eyes flew open, and I looked at her. Her eyes were worried, and I sat up. "Mom? Is something wrong?"

"We...need to talk."

"Alright?"

She sighed. "The Hokage has summoned us. We'll talk there."

Warning bells went off in my head, and I hurriedly strapped on my katana, not missing her sad gaze at my action. My father met us in the living room, his normally cheerful face grim.

"Shall we?"

The walk to the Hokage's tower was silent, but I was hoping that I would finally know what was going on. Were my eyes bad? Was I going to have to give up being a shinobi?

The pit of dread was growing with every step.

... ... ...

 _Knock knock._

"Enter."

The pit of dread grew more as we entered, and I saw the Hokage standing, looking out of the window. His back was to us, but he was stiff. The atmosphere was so tense that I could slice it with my katana, I swear.

He turned and nodded. "Shena, Toru, Ibukai."

"Lord Hokage." Toru said for all of as we bowed.

"Toru, you have known me for years. There's no need for such formalities." The Hokage said with a small smile.

My father finally smiled back. "Of course, Hiruzen."

"How's the old injury?"

"It doesn't bother me unless a bad rainstorm is coming."

"Alright, what's going on?!" I demanded.

"Ibukai…" The Hokage tried.

"No, dammit! It's painfully obvious that people are hiding shit from me, so what is it?! How do you know the Hokage, Dad?! Lord Hokage, what does Zabuza mean by he's 'paying Kakashi back?!' AND WHY DO MY EYES KEEP BURNING!?"

The Hokage sighed. "Toru, Shena, please have a seat. This...is going to take awhile."

... ... ...

I stared at the ANBU mask in my hands.

"ANBU Hawk?" I asked, not quite understanding.

"In response to your first question." My father said.

The pieces of this particular puzzle slid into place.

"You were one of the Hokage's personal ANBU." I said slowly.

"Assigned to the Lord Hokage's personal detail."

"How long?" I asked.

"Seven years." He admitted, and my mouth dropped. In terms of the ANBU, he was ancient. Most didn't last more than a couple years. "I retired two years before you were born."

I smiled softly.

The Hokage cleared his throat. "Now...Shena? Are you sure…?"

She gave a defeated sigh. "He's going to find out anyways. It might as well be from us."

I looked at my parents. "What…?"

Toru sighed. "Ibukai...I was assigned to guard you."

I froze as my mind started putting pieces together. "You...what? No, that can't be right. Why would you be assigned to guard your own…?"

 _Oh._

He sighed as he saw me figuring it out.

"You're not…?"

"Not by blood. You have to understand, though, that in my heart I am. Nothing has made me prouder than watching you grow, both as a man and a shinobi. In my opinion, you are heading straight for the ANBU. I love you as if you were my actual son."

I turned to Shena. "...Mom?"

She didn't meet my gaze. "I...was asked by the Lord Hokage to care for you. Toru had recently married me, and since I was barren, it was a perfect...cover."

I looked from her, to Toru, to the Hokage, and to the mask in my hands.

"So?" I finally asked, and all the gazes in my room snapped to me.

"You're not…?" Shena finally dared to ask.

"Upset?" I shook my head. "It doesn't really , you guys thought I'd be angry?" I chuckled and shook my head.

"Ibukai…" The Hokage finally said.

I sighed. "There's more. Of course there is."

Shena had straightened up when she realized I wasn't going to go ballistic. Toru, however, remained tense.

"My real parents." I finally said.

The Hokage pulled out a scroll and handed it to me. "The birth certificate, stating when you were born and who your biological parents are."

In a flash, I had opened it and was scanning the contents.

 _12:20 AM, Village Hidden in the Leaf General hospital._

I scanned the document. A year after Naruto and Sasuke were born, huh?

My heart stopped when I saw the names at the bottom.

"Ibukai, wait!" Shena yelled after me, but I was already gone.

... ... ...

 _"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"_ I roared, sliding to a stop behind the figure at the memorial stone.

Kakashi sighed and looked up at the sky. "I was incapable of raising a child, and it would have forever shamed her. It was...necessary."

"Don't give me that shit!" I snapped.

"What would you have had me do?!" He yelled, spinning on his heel, anger and raw hurt shining in his visible eye. "We were basically children ourselves! After...what happened…" He sighed. "You remind me so much of her. Her eyes, face, everything. Your hair and temper, they're mine. Everything else is hers. Everything."

I touched my eyes. "Even...these?"

"Even those."

I looked at him, my anger fading. "Tell me about her?"

... ... ...

We sat on the Fourth Hokage's head, and Kakashi chuckled without humor. "This was her favorite place, too."

I was silent as he gathered his courage. "After...losing...my team, I was broken mentally. I began throwing myself into mission after mission in the ANBU, praying one day I wouldn't come back. Then, one day…"

He looked up into the night sky. "Weasel and I were assigned to rescue a squad pinned by Cloud shinobi near the northern border of the Land of Fire. She was the only one of her squad left standing, but she was badly wounded. Weasel…"

"Itachi."

Kakashi winced, but nodded. "Itachi. He went berserk, and the enemy didn't stand a chance. I took her to the village immediately to get medical help for her."

A small smile formed on his face. "She had a grip on my bracer like you wouldn't believe. Dented it, in fact. All through the operation, her grip didn't relax. When she finally released my arm, my bone was cracked. She awoke a few weeks later, and when she found out what happened, she insisted on cooking a meal for me as an apology. After that…"

"She gave me a reason to come back from my missions." He explained, turning to me. "And after what happened…"

I nodded in understanding, laying back. "...I understand." I finally said.

He looked at me. "Now that you know the truth…?"

"More than anything, we need to act like nothing has changed." I said. "If people found out, then it would cause major problems. I need to be strong enough to defend myself, first."

He nodded. "Understandable."

"So, I do have to ask: Why does Zabuza need to repay you?..."

Kakashi chuckled. "Years ago, I fought him near the Land of Earth. He escaped, badly wounded. Apparently, he literally ran into a medical nin from the Stone village. Inwe's mother."

I laughed as well when I made the connection. "You accidentally set him up with her?"

"Yep!"

We fell silent for a few minutes before I looked at the moon. "Well, I have to start training. Don't you have Sasuke to train, as well?"

"But…"

I waved it off. "Relax. The kid needs it more than I do. Come by and give me tips about the Chidori, every once in awhile."

"And about those?" He asked, motioning to my eyes.

I smirked. "I have Sepi. She can easily get her hands on S-ranked secrets."

He chuckled. "I'm not surprised."

We sat there for another few hours, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

... ... ...

Sepi unrolled the scroll as the ANBU stepped in close.

Sepi chuckled. "So, that's why you've been keeping an eye on him?"

"I owe her that much." He said neutrally.

She laughed. "Not surprised."

"Does anything surprise you?" He asked, almost pleadingly.

"Nope. You have to do better than that, Itachi!"

 _Child: Ibukai_

 _Father: Kakashi Hatake._

 _Mother: Aiko Uchiha._


	29. Training for the Third Exam

_*Da da DAAA! The secret is out of the bag! Okay, so announcements. One: Thank you so much for the people following me, the over a thousand views on my story, (YAAAAYYYY!) those of you who have favorited and reviewed this, all of you, really, who are so fantastic and give me a drive to write this story. As soon as the Chuunin arc is done, I'm gonna write an omake that I have planned out and have been promising you guys for so long, and it's gonna be about why Neji isn't such an ass anymore. Now, the sad news. I think I mentioned it before, but I had this story written out almost to Shippuden. Unfortunately, it got really dark and I wrote myself into a corner, so I had to delete a lot of it and start over, so I'm pretty much rewriting the story arc for the actual invasion. I promise that I'm writing as fast and as much as I can, so just bear with me, okay? That said...training time!*_

"You know." Was the first thing out of Sepi's mouth the next morning.

I nodded once, smiling softly.

Anko-sensei smirked. "Alright, this makes my job easier. Ibukai, Sepi, we have a month to train you both to own the final exam. Sepi, Zabuza has agreed to teach you his techniques in the afternoons. You'll train with him then. Ibukai, this is going to be the time where we hone your ocular jutsu and Chidori."

"Uh, Sensei?" Sepi asked. "Pedo-snake? S-class secret?"

Anko-sensei nodded. "I know, which is why the Hyuuga have agreed to let you train there for the month leading up to the final exam."

My mouth dropped open. "Come again?"

She laughed. "Kakashi and I explained everything to Hiashi Hyuuga this morning. No one is going to get near you with the Hyuuga around."

I smiled. "Alright."

Sepi swung me around to face her. "Show me! I wanna see!"

I groaned. "Jeez. Fine."

My eyes flared to life, and my Sharingan locked onto her, one Tomoe spinning into place.

She squealed as I deactivated it. "That's so fucking cool!"

Anko-sensei shook her head and laughed. "Alright, you two. Taijutsu training for an hour! Then, chakra control via water walking for an hour! When you complete that, you move onto walking up a waterfall! Genjutsu practice for an hour after that! Ibukai, no using your Sharingan unless it's inside the Hyuuga compound. We don't want you to rely too heavily on it, and there's a chance someone might see it. After that, weapon skills for an hour! Finally, specialized practice for the remaining two hours! Am I understood?!"

"Yes, Sensei!" We replied in tandem.

... ... ...

I collapsed on the ground. "She's trying to kill us."

Sepi nodded her head in agreement.

"Up, you two! You expect to get through the enemy like that?! Lazabouts! Genjutsu practice, now!"

"Sadistic." I muttered.

... ... ...

"Ibukai! Practice coating your blade in chakra. Sepi! Sealing! Tomorrow, you work on Medical Ninjutsu and Ibukai works on his Ninjutsu."

"Sadistic!" I yelled.

"Attaboy! You have energy to shout, you have energy to train! Move it!"

"Dammit." I muttered.

... ... ...

The Chidori fizzled out in my hand, and I cursed.

"Use your Sharingan to analyze the chakra you are expelling. Again!" Lord Hiashi said.

I readied myself and began again.

... ... ...

"Ibukai, you call that a fireball?!"

"It's not my fault that I can't do fire style!"

"Again! You can't rely on the Lightning Dragon! It burns through too much chakra!'

 _Sadistic._

... ... ...

"Good job on the sealing, Sepi. Medical Ninjutsu!"

Anko-sensei turned to me. "Two weeks and already you've mastered transmitting lightning chakra into your blade. Nicely done."

Her grin widened. "Now, Fireball Jutsu!"

"FUCK!"

... ... ...

Hiashi nodded. "Your enemy won't always give you time to form that many handsigns, though. Still, excellent work. For the rest of today, hone your Sharingan."

I nodded, breathing hard. "Alright."

... ... ...

I looked up as Sepi entered the secured room, carrying several scrolls. To safeguard the Uchiha's vast wealth of knowledge, the Hokage had ordered his personal ANBU to seal all scrolls, books, and anything else they found, in extraordinarily well-protected storage scrolls. I had obtained permission to study several in a room protected by security seals and multiple ANBU, and Sepi was there to help me hone my 'magical glowing red eyes of destiny,' as she called them.

"Let's see," she said, looking through them, "one on Shuriken Jutsu, useless to you." She ignored my cry of outrage and continued on. "One on the history of the Uchiha Clan, and one on the concepts of using your Sharingan to help control your chakra and jutsu."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why did you grab the other two? The third will do fine."

She raised an eyebrow. "Rare knowledge? The history one is the one I'm gonna be studying. Have a shadow clone read the Shuriken Jutsu one. It might tell you what you're doing wrong. You get to study the third."

... ... ...

I felt a tap on my shoulder, looking up in surprise to see Toru.

"Dad?"

He winced a little at that. "Shena asks you to come home. She has dinner ready."

I yawned, suddenly realizing how tired I was. "What time is it, anyways?"

"Almost 9 PM."

My mouth dropped "It's night?!"

 _WHACK!_

"Small space, Ibukai!"

"Sorry, Sepi." I grumbled, rubbing my head.

"Would you like to come, Sepi?" Dad asked politely.

She shook her head. "Thanks, Mr. Kokori, but my dad is working tonight, so I'm gonna go bother him after this."

"Very well."

I rolled up the scroll and placed it on the table in front of me. The scroll on Shuriken Jutsu was there, as well. My clone had run out of chakra several hours ago.

"So what's Mom making?" I asked as we walked through the Leaf.

"Ramen, I believe."

I thought for a few moments. "Think we can invite someone along?"

"Naruto?"

I grinned nervously. "Eh he he, how'd you guess?"

He smiled back. "Simple. That boy loves ramen, and you constantly brag about your mother's ramen to him. You also invite him over whenever she makes it." He said pointedly. "In fact, she made extra tonight, just in case."

I smiled. I was glad he got over his earlier wince at being called 'Dad.' I mean, seriously, he kinda was my dad. Think that Kakashi actually was...nah, let's not think about that. Wayyyy too strange to think about. And of course I was going to call Shena 'Mom!' For all intents and purposes, she was! Seriously, I didn't even know who Aiko Uchiha was, except from the little bit Kakashi told me. Apparently she was like a little sister to Shena, learning how to cook and (surprisingly) sing from her. Come to think of it, Mom was a really good singer…

"Naruto!" Dad called out, startling me out of my thoughts. The blonde was walking away from us, hands shoved into his pockets, head hanging. It broke my heart to see him like that, honestly. He whirled, suspicion and surprise on his face until he saw Dad was the one who called him.

"Shena is making ramen tonight." Was the only thing Toru needed to say before Naruto was right beside us, chattering like nothing at all was wrong.

"How does Mom's ramen rank with Ichiraku's?" I asked.

His face scrunched up. "Well…."

We waited.

"Ichiraku's is better." He finally said sheepishly.

Dad and I laughed our asses off. "Don't worry. We won't tell Mom." I finally said.

... ... ...

"We're home!" I called out, slipping my boots off at the door, Dad and Naruto following suit.

"Oh, good." Mom said, walking into the front room. "Dinner is just about- Naruto! It's good to see you again. I was hoping you those two would find you."

"Of course, Mrs. Kokori! Your ramen is the best, believe it!"

Dad and I tried and failed to hide a smile, and Shena looked at us sharply. "Something you two want to say?" She growled.

"Nothing!" We responded immediately.

Naruto was the one chuckling as we headed to the low table where four bowls of steaming ramen already were in place, chopsticks beside them. My mouth watered as I knelt down in my spot, Naruto beside me, Mom across from us, and Dad at the head of the table.

"Itadakimasu!" We all said in sync.

... ... ...

 _Naruto was really worried about Ibukai's family's reaction when Ibukai first invited him over for ramen. After all, most villagers either shunned or despised him._

 _"I'm home!" Ibukai had called out, shutting the door behind him and Naruto._

 _"Welcome home, Ibukai! Ramen is for- oh! Who's your friend?"_

 _Naruto froze._

 _"This is Naruto Uzumaki. He's one of my friends from the Academy."_

 _...Friend?_

 _"Oh. Well then, welcome, Naruto! Dinner is almost ready."_

 _Toru joined them at the table. One look from him told Naruto that he knew exactly who he was. However...his reaction was different._

 _"Naruto Uzumaki, huh? Welcome to our home. If you need anything, please just ask."_

 _"Uh...Thanks, Mr. Kokori."_

 _Toru waved it off. "Any friend of Ibukai's is a friend of ours. And please, call me Toru."_

 _He had always treated Naruto with a certain...respect, something that had confused Naruto to no end. Naruto wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, though._

 _"Sure thing, Mr. Toru!"_


	30. Neji's Omake

* _Here it is, Neji's Omake*_

Darkness. Pain. Confusion. Neji was lost in a whirlwind of hatred and dispair. He had just lost his father to the arrogance and folly of the Main Branch, and Lord Hiashi-

 _NO!_ He savagely roared in his mind. _Not Lord Hiashi! He doesn't deserve that title! Hiashi should be dead and my father should be alive! Hiashi can go to hell! He's not my lord, not anymore!_

Neji was so preoccupied in his thoughts that he ran into another boy, not much younger than him. Grey hair and wide, onyx eyes, he looked up from where Neji had knocked him on the ground.

 _Civilian brat._ He thought dismissivly.

"Hey! Whatcha do dat for?!"

"Watch where you're going, brat." Neji spat at him, turning and stalking away, only to stop as the boy got up and sped around Neji, firmly planting his feet and sticking his lower lip out. "Name's not brat! My name's Ibukai!"

"I don't care." Neji said flatly.

"Say you're sorry!" The boy demanded, adding after a moment of thought, "Meanie!"

Neji shoved the boy again, and he fell, looking up at Neji with a hurt glare.

"Stay out of my way." Neji said, walking away.

 _The next day..._

 _"_ You again?" Neji looked at said brat with disdain.

"Say. You. Are. Sorry." The boy said, punctuating his words by poking in the air in Neji's direction.

"Go away." Neji said, shoving past him.

This continued for several weeks, until one particularly bad day, after Hiashi had berated Neji for being so weak, until it had gotten to the point where Neji wanted to kill Hiashi with his bare hands. He had been about to make a move when Hiashi dismissed him with a disdainful look.

The urge hadn't faded by the time he got to where the boy confronted Neji, day after day. Sure, Neji could have gone a different way, but that would have been admitting defeat to a _civilian._ He refused to do such a thing. He, alone, would rise above this pathetic village, and make all respect the name of Hyuuga. It was his _destiny,_ dammit!

As predicted, the boy came charging up, starting to slow down, but Neji snapped. He leapt forward and thrust his palm out, and it connected solidly with the still-moving torso of the boy.

The brat slumped down, wheezing and clutching his stomach, and Neji stepped over him. "Don't waste the time of the Hyuuga, _brat._ " With that, he walked away. Had he looked back, he would have seen the kid lift himself up, glaring in Neji's direction, determination crossing his face. The ANBU watching certainly saw.

... ... ...

Neji breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a full five months since he had even seen the kid, and he took this as a sign of victory. A small one, sure, but just as it took small pebbles made a mountain-

 _WHACK!_

He grabbed the side of his face and looked up in surprise to see the brat standing there, his arm relaxing after his throw, the small rock he had launched falling to Neji's feet.

Without hesitation, he activated his Byakugan. _"Brat!"_ He hissed as he took his hand away from the side of his face. _"I'm going to kill you!"_

He leapt forward, and the kid met him halfway.

... ... ...

It took five minutes to slip past the boy's gaurd, landing a solid Gentle Palm strike against the boy's stomach, the organ taking the brutal force head-on. The brat coughed up blood, taking a step back before falling on his ass, clutching his stomach in pain.

"I warned you, brat." Neji growled, walking past him.

 _WHACK!_

He went stumbling forward, back arched at the brutal blow it had just received. He turned and struck, the blow connecting with the ribs of the kid, causing him to collapse on the ground.

"Stay. Down. My destiny is to rise above all. Yours is to kneel." He ordered.

Instead, much to his surprise, the boy got up again, standing shakily, glaring in defiance.

"My name...is Ibukai!" With a savage cry, he launched himself at Neji again.

... ... ...

I blinked awake, my body racing with pain as I laid on the hospital bed. I glanced around the room, my eyes settling on the obnoxious prick who put me in this condition in the first place.

"Meanie." I muttered at his sleeping form.

 _Neji's bloodlust cleared as he looked down at the battered body at his feet. The boy, most certainly, was not getting up again. He turned away, but a nagging feeling kept him from walking away completely. As the invisible ANBU watched, Neji picked the brat up and carried him piggy-back to the hospital._

"Why did you do it?" Shisui asked from the corner of the room. He was Aiko-chan's little brother, and he was always there whenever Momma dropped me off at Aiko-chan's when she was busy running errands. Well, unless Shisui was busy, anyways. He was a super-important ninja, so that happened a lot.

I shrugged. "He needed something to hit."

Shisui sighed. "That _something_ shouldn't have been you. You could have died! You've been out cold for two days."

"But I didn't die!" I said with a grin. "Problem solved."

Shisui sighed. "I shoulda never taught you how to throw a rock like that."

"But ya did!"

... ... ...

 _Present day, after eating ramen with Naruto at my home..._

I blinked awake. I had been studying the Shuriken Jutsu scroll and had fallen asleep. I shook away the shreds of the dream that still clung to me as I looked down at the passage I had been reading when I passed out.

 _When starting out throwing projectiles, it is best to use rocks, as you'll become attuned to the various sizes, weights, and aerodynamics. After that, no matter what you use as a throwing weapon, it will be much easier. -Shisui Uchiha_


	31. Legacy revealed and plans created

_*Alright you guys, here is the next chapter. We're almost to the Chuunin Exam's grand finale, and after that is the Invasion. Also, I have a super-special Omake that is written out, but since there's one more major thing that happens soon that I don't wanna ruin by spilling it prematurely in the Omake, I need to wait until after the Invasion arc. Also, a note about the Omakes: Normally, an Omake means something that didn't happen and is just for fun. Here, they mean something different. I hate writing out of chronological order, unless they are flashbacks, so my Omakes are things that actually happen and explain more about a character or a bond. Almost, if not all, of the Konoha Genin will get one at one point or another. Let me know if there is anything you want me to elaborate on, and I'll work on an Omake for it.*_

Three days.

Three days until the third exam, the tournament. I had been informed by Sensei that I was facing Jeki, the Mizukage's son. A prodigy in his village, or so she told me.

On top of that, Miko was still cold towards me, and surprisingly to Sepi, as well. We were really getting worried about him. However, the upcoming exam and invasion took all our focus, so we weren't able to really talk to him.

On the subject of the invasion, Sepi assured me that she had it taken care of. Her first match was against Haku, and she claimed to have that taken care of, too.

"Worry about your match." Was all she would say. "You're no good to us if you die."

Thanks, Sepi.

I wished Anko-sensei would train me to take my mind off things, instead of giving Sepi and I a "well-deserved three days off." She even told Lord Hiashi and Kakashi that I needed to be resting, not training, so they wouldn't train me, either!

I walked through the village, not really going I finally did look up, I stopped.

My feet had lead me to the outskirts of the Uchiha compound. I gazed inside of it, noting all the dried blood still staining the stones. It really wasn't any wonder why Sasuke didn't stay here, with his memories haunting him as well.

With nothing else to do, I walked inside. It was unnerving, all the dried blood that just couldn't be cleaned away. Other than that, it looked mostly repaired, like it was just waiting for the clan to return…

I shivered.

"I see you found it."

I yelped, whirling and throwing several shuriken on instinct. I had discovered, via my clone reading the scroll that Sepi had given it on Shuriken Jutsu, that I had been throwing them completely wrong. I had tried channeling chakra into the tool, but I had discovered you mostly had to lead the tool with it, pull it along. Other people mostly sent their tools straight, which was why I was able to throw them back.

The masked ANBU knocked them aside with a single stroke of a kunai.

I rubbed the side of my neck, grinning sheepishly. "Uh...you startled me."

"Obviously."

I gave him a half-hearted glare, but he ignored it. Sighing, I looked around.

"You expected me to be here?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Why? And no one-worded replies!"

"Because you are an Uchiha."

I crossed my arms. "Technically, I'm only part Uchiha."

"It does not matter."

"Stop beating around the bush!"

He walked past me, motioning me to follow him.

I had to trot to keep up. "Stupid long-legs. Where are we going, anyways?"

"Follow."

"Gah! More one-worded answers!"

I could have sworn I heard him give a quiet chuckle.

We finally stopped in front of a smaller house, set up like most of the Uchiha houses in a U, with the back wall facing the street and a small koi pond and garden (overgrown of course) in the middle.

"What...is this place?"

"Your birthright."

I looked at him. "...What?"

"As Aiko Uchiha's only living child, this is yours."

I slowly walked into it, my ANBU shadow silently walking with me until I got to a room that was obviously a memorial.

"Wha…?"

"Kakashi's doing." He answered. "After the incidents, he set up this memorial, so they wouldn't be forgotten."

"Big softie." I said with a smirk. "Wait a second...incidents?"

"Look at the pictures." He said softly.

I shrugged, walking up to the low table, shrouded in black, with various black-framed pictures on it and a very old white rose in front of them.

The first was a picture of young Kakashi and an Uchiha girl with short black hair. Kakashi looked annoyed, since the girl had an arm wrapped around his shoulder and was beaming at the camera, offering a 'peace' sign, but he had a faint blush on his cheeks, not quite covered by the mask. The next was them, older, after Kakashi had obtained the Sharingan. They were both dressed in kimonos, and Kakashi's headband was off, his scarred eye shut tightly. Despite the pain that lined his face, he looked relaxed, almost happy, with the same girl holding gently onto his arm.

"Aiko." I said softly.

"Your mother."

"That I never knew." I said, albeit a little harsher than I meant.

Ignoring him, I moved onto the next. It was Kakashi's old team. I raised my eyebrow at that, and my other eyebrow went up when I saw the picture of Shisui and Itachi.

"What in the hell?" I said quietly, moving onto the picture of what I assumed to be Aiko's family. Her mother and father, and Aiko was clutching her two brothers tightly, with that same beaming smile.

 _Obito and Shisui._

I swore.

 _How did I not notice that Aiko and Obito looked so much alike?! And how did I not remember that Shisui is Obito's younger brother!_

The ANBU stayed there as I cursed, and cursed again.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! How much of a clusterfuck did I manage to land myself into?! Of all the-! Dammit!"

Oh, shit, right. ANBU…

"Uh…" I said, turning to the Weasel-masked ANBU.

 _Wait...Weasel?_

 _Click!_

More cursing!

... ... ...

Itachi blinked in surprise as the cursing teen in front of him turned around, took a long look at his mask, and then promptly leapt forward, almost crushing his ribs with a hug.

 _What?_

His surprise faded into sadness. But if he knew who I was…

"You might as well take off your mask, Itachi." Came a muffled voice.

 _SEPI!_ Itachi inwardly roared.

... ... ...

We sat on the roof of my family's house, watching the sun set.

"How long have you known?" He finally said.

"Just now." I replied. "I just paid attention to the design on your mask."

"About damn time!" Sepi said, landing on my other side, electing a scream from me and a chuckle from Itachi. "I've been waiting for you to figure out for ages!"

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM?!" I roared.

She casually tossed Itachi a dango, stretching out on the rooftop and laying back. "Like, since you entered the compound. Took you long enough to figure out it was Itachi."

I glared at her.

"I take it that you're to blame for his...unusual reaction when he figured out my identity?" Itachi asked her with a look that was a combination of annoyance and amusement.

"Nope!" She said happily. "He figured that out on his own."

"I see."

"Does Kakashi know?" I broke in. "About why you…?"

"He does not."

"He needs to know." I said flatly.

"Why?" He replied, aggravated. "As far as he knew, the his lover was killed by a rogue shinobi. In his mind, she is perfect, flawless. How do you think he would react to the knowledge that her clan was planning to overthrow the Leaf, his home? He would feel even more betrayed."

"..."

"I know you wish that it was not so, that he knew the truth, but sometimes the truth can be more harmful and painful than a lie."

"Only when the truth is not told from the beginning." I growled, pulling up my knees and resting my chin on them. "And those who live telling the lie suffer, day in and day out. Is that truly right?"

"It's his choice." Sepi told me gently. "Not yours. Only he can really decide. After all, Itachi is the one who has sacrificed his life, his future, and his clan for the Leaf."

"Both of you need to stop making sense." I grumbled.

We all were silent for a minute before Sepi spoke up again. "That being said...I has a plan."

Itachi and I both looked at her, eyebrows raised, as we listened to said plan.

... ... ...

"...Interesting plan…" Itachi said.

I gave a chuckle akin to Sepi's. "I like it."

Itachi gave a sigh and shook his head. "Very well. I will return to the Akatsuki until it is time."

"Remember! Keep an eye on Duck-butt, but no messing with his head! Dude is enough of an emo as it is." Sepi said firmly.

Itachi blinked, still taken off-guard by Sepi's name for Sasuke. "...Very well." He said, standing. "I leave things to you, then." With that, he disintegrated into a flock of crows.

I looked at Sepi. "So, we gonna do this?"

She held out a fist, and it was met with my own. Over the fistbump, she grinned. "Oh, hell yea. We're gonna tear the old bullshit plotline to shreds!"


	32. Let the Third Exam begin

*AN: _Okay guys, here we go. The start of the exams! On a happier note, I should be able to update more regularly now, as I've written enough material to cover like, 7 or 8 more updates. Also, as promised, I have an Omake ready to go as soon as we're done with the Invasion. Yes, there are major feels coming...Sorry? Ish?*_

 _The morning of the exams._

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. At first, when we got here, I had wanted to go home. Then, I wanted to make the ending better. Now, Sepi and I were fully committed. No way in hell could we go back now.

I removed the headband from its customary place around my neck, tying it instead firmly onto my forehead. I opened my eyes and stared into the mirror.

My gray hair was cut close to my head. Under it, my polished headband shone proudly, and my Sharingan stared back at me. Sepi and I were still unsure of when I awakened them, but thanks to Sasuke's help, I was able to activate them at will.

 _Sasuke dropped the tomato on the ground as he stared at me. I had walked to his apartment the night I had discovered my heritage, deciding firmly that Sasuke needed to know he wasn't truly alone._

 _"What?" He finally managed to get out, and in response, I showed him the scroll containing my birth details._

 _"Mind if I come in?"_

I smiled at the memory as I continued studying my equipment. A breastplate of grey metal and Kakashi's old bracers were worn over my black sleeveless shirt. My tanto peeked over my right shoulder and my katana was sealed in a scroll, carried at my side. Kunai and shuriken pouches were strapped on the small of my back and to my legs, over black cargo pants. Ninja sandals completed my outfit.

My mask was in place, but with a noticeable difference. It had red lightning embroidered on it. It paired with the red lightning on the rest of my clothes, standing testament to my technique. It was about time to reveal it, anyways. Sepi had told me, very firmly, not to use my Sharingan unless absolutely necessary. When I did, it was game on. Still rather draining on my chakra, as well as it would make me a target, it was a last resort.

I heard a sigh, and I looked over my shoulder, deactivating the Sharingan as I saw my mother and father standing in the doorway.

"I always knew you would make it." Toru said, a proud smile on his face.

My mother was more reserved, but she had a smile on, nonetheless. "You're always reading that book, but I guess it's past time for you to write your own story."

I turned around, pulling my mask down. For them, I wasn't going to hide my face.

"Don't worry, you guys. I'm gonna win."

Shena knelt in front of me (Thanks for reminding me that I'm short, Mom!) and hugged me. Releasing me, she sat back, checking to make sure everything was secure.

"Mom." I complained, rolling my eyes.

She smiled at my expense. "Now, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't check? By the way, your father and I have a present for you."

Toru walked forward, revealing a paper-clad bundle in his arms. Curious, I took it from him and tore open the paper.

It was a cloak, much like the one Lord Fourth wore, only this one was sleeveless. It was dark blue, with my signature red lightning running down the sides and bottom.

My mouth dropped. "You guys…"

"Look at the back." My mother said, smiling proudly. I turned it over and my stupid allergies started acting up again, causing my eyes to moisten.

On the area that rested in between the shoulder blades was the red and white Uchiha fan. Right below that was the white and black diamond made of nine squares.

 _The Hatake clan._

From there, written in a downwards pattern, was Kanji. It read, _Lightning Blaze of the Hidden Leaf._

"You guys…" I said again, my voice unsteady, my stupid allergies (YES, ALLERGIES) now causing moisture that was NOT TEARS to run down my cheeks.

"For when you're ready." My father said.

"Let them see who you are." My mother finished.

I pulled both of them into a hug, refusing to let go for several minutes. When I did, I carefully folded the cloak and held it firmly to my side. I would fight in it, to show the world that I may have been born to two prestigious clans, but I was, and would always be, Ibukai Kokori.

"Now, Ibukai," my mother said, and I looked into her worried yet proud eyes, "remember that, whatever happens, we will love you _always._ "

... ... ...

Sepi stood waiting for me at our old training grounds. She was wearing a dark purple sleeveless battle dress, coming to a stop several inches above her knees, with a strap over one shoulder. A broad black leather held it together, and black leggings completed her main outfit. She wore a purple scarf around her neck, and I looked closely I could see a SHITLOAD of seals woven into it. Two daggers were strapped to the small of her back, and she wore a hood now, also equipped with interwoven seals.

"You're ready." Sepi said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." I replied steadily.

Anko-sensei looked at us, pride evident in her eyes. "You guys have done one kick-ass job of training. You're ready for Chuunin. Sepi, Ibukai, you guys have worked your asses off and are easily capable of becoming Chuunin, possibly even Jounin. As such, I have personally recommended you both for the ANBU."

My mouth dropped. "You're kidding. We haven't even been Genin that long."

She shrugged. "Why not? You both are certainly skilled enough. The ANBU can teach you everything I can't. In fact, there's really not much more I could teach you."

Sepi gave a cheer. "YES! We're so gonna rock these exams!"

She then noticed the cloak I was holding to my side. "Wait, what's that?"

I grinned, holding up my parent's gift for both my Sensei and my teammate to see. "My parents gave it to me. They said it was for when I was ready for people to see who I am."

"When?" Sepi asked with a smirk.

"When I fight my match."

Anko-sensei and Sepi looked at each other, smiling. "About damn time." Sepi said.

... ... ...

We made our way up to the waiting area for the contestants. Cue Sepi glomping Gaara. A hint of red came to his cheeks, but he had become mostly used to it now.

"TANUKI-PANDA!"

"She still scares me." Kankuro muttered.

"Join the club." Temari replied.

I fixed a stare on Kankuro. "So, have you guys thought any about that...conversation at the tower?"

Kankuro shuddered. "Yes. Yes we did."

"And?"

He paused, looking sideways at where Sepi was petting his younger brother's hair. "Our sensei agreed that messing with you guys...would be just plain suicidal, mostly because the damn racoon took a liking to someone."

Gaara and Sepi ignored it, and Kankuro, Temari, and I ignored the strange looks from everyone else in the area.

... ... ...

 _"They know." Kankuro said flatly. "At least, their Team 6 knows."_

 _Temari and Baki froze, but Gaara was leaning back on the couch, eyes closed and looking...less blood-thirsty than normal._

 _"What do you mean?!" Baki demanded._

 _"Kid basically told me not to attack the Leaf!" Kankuro snapped._

 _Temari glanced at her brother. "The same team whose resident kunoichi…"_

 _"Keeps kidnapping Gaara? Yea."_

 _Baki rubbed his forehead, suddenly feeling very, very old._

 _"Gaara?" He asked. "Are you- Gaara?!"_

 _Gaara was smiling. A small smile, barely qualifying, but a smile nonetheless._

 _"She...is like a cool ocean breeze." He finally said. "She knows seals, too. Mother hasn't demanded blood since she and the white-haired Sannin fixed it."_

 _The other three were speechless. Finally, Kankuro spoke, saying what was on all of their minds._

 _"Fuck."  
... ... ..._

 _"Lord Hokage."_

 _"Ah, Baki, was it not? What can I do for you?"_

 _"I request...asylum, for my team and I."_

 _The Hokage raised an eyebrow. Sepi had alerted him to the current situation, but he couldn't resist having some fun._

 _"What do you mean?" He asked in best confused-yet-suspicious voice._

 _"The Sand village and Sound village…"_

 _"Don't tell me." The Hokage said. "I want to guess. Hmm...you're in love. No, that's not it. Let me see...you all plan to attack the Leaf, using Shukaku to start your attack!"_

 _Baki's jaw dropped._

 _"I was right?!" The Hokage exclaimed._

 _Baki looked like he wanted to cry, and the Hokage let him off the hook. "I already know. And before you ask, I can't tell you how. I can say that arrangements have already been made to let your team stay in the Leaf, and come between the Sand and Leaf at your own leisure."_

 _"Wha-...How?" Baki finally managed to say._

 _"Team 6."_

 _"...I see."_

 _... ... ..._

 _"So that's Shukaku's true power. Impressive."_

 _"Indeed."_

 _"I guess all that is left to do...is kill the Leaf shinobi spying on us!"_

 _"Please, allow me. Let it solidify our arrangement with the Sound."_

 _"Very well."_

 _... ... ..._

 _Hayate and Baki sat in Hayate's apartment, drinking sake and playing cards by candlelight._

 _"So much for 'killing the Leaf shinobi." Hayate teased, coughing._

 _"Shut up." Baki growled, but he was smiling. "You should really get that cough looked at."_

 _... ... ..._

 _"ANBU, prepare a little surprise for our guests." The Hokage ordered._

 _"With a pleasure, Hokage-sama!"_

 _... ... ..._

Kankuro shuddered. "Remind me not to get on your village's bad side."

"Don't get on our village's bad side." I deadpanned.

"Very funny."

I smirked. "I thought so."

"Someone wanna tell us what's going on?" Shikamaru droned.

Kankuro and I looked at each other, then back to Shikamaru. "Nope." We said at the same time.

"What a drag." He muttered, going back to where he had been.

Naruto ran into him with a thud! "Did I miss it?!"

"The tournament hasn't even started yet!" Shikamaru said angrily, shoving Naruto off him.

I turned my attention away as a brown-haired stranger walked up to me. "You must be Ibukai Kokori."

I looked at the Mist headband and large sword slung on his back. "Jeki Terumi, I take it?"

He gave a small nod. "Indeed. I have heard much about you."

"The same here." I replied.

We sized each other up. The lack of kunai or shuriken suggested that either he was a close-range fighter or had enough techniques where he didn't need throwing weapons. The fact that he was the Mizukage's son backed up the latter theory. He wore a light blue outfit, but most of it was covered in armor.

 _Short range combat, medium range jutsu._

"I look forward to our fight." He said.

I found myself giving a bloodthirsty grin. "I hope the Bloody Mist lives up to its name."

He smirked at the challenge. "At least be a big enough challenge to wind me, will you?"

"ANDDDD...KISS!" Sepi yelled. We turned to look at her. Jeki was confused, I was sweatdropping.

"Dammit." She muttered, turning back to petting Gaara.

"Your teammate is...interesting." Jeki said.

"I was thinking psychotic." I replied.

"THANK YOU!" Was her reply.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention." Genma called, signalling the start of the tournament.

 _Here we go._

"The third exam shall now begin!"


	33. Time to dance

_*_ AN: _Alright, guys! Ibukai's fight in the Chuunin exams! Honestly, the next update will be the rather large Omake. I just have to double-check it and ensure that no spoilers are there, and then I can go ahead and give you guys the treat that you all more than deserve!*_

The fight between Naruto and Neji was quite a bit different than in Canon. Neji wasn't an insufferable prick, and Naruto was definitely stronger than before. The ending was the same, the only difference being the lack of therapy-no-jutsu and Naruto helping Neji up when he was done.

All the time, I was in a deep conversation with Sepi.

"What do you have on Jeki?"

"Well, he's been training with Zabuza, so expert with a blade and damn good at water style."

"Genjutsu?"

"None. Considers them for weaklings."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I hate those things."

"That doesn't mean he's an easy opponent."

"I know."

"Your plan?"

I looked at her blankly. "Plan? What's that?"

We laughed before she looked back at me. "You do have a plan, right?"

I nodded. "Of course I do. I just can't guarantee it won't be ripped to shreds. I haven't seen this guy fight."

"He's good. Very good." She warned.

"So am I." I said.

... ... ...

"The next opponents are Ibukai Kokori and Jeki Terumi!"

I took a deep breath and turned to walk down the stairs. Jeki leapt over the guardrail and landed in the center of the arena, causing cheers to erupt from the crowd.

Massive amounts of chakra, strong...

 _Shit._

I would bet money that he was the jinchuriki of the three-tails. Mizukage's son, trained by the Demon of the Hidden Mist himself. Massive chakra, similar to Naruto and Gaara.

I sighed. _Just my luck._

 _... ... ..._

The Hokage knew the invasion was covered, so he was content to watch the matches. The Mizukage's son was clearly a favorite. She had already warned him that her son was the three-tails container, but he hadn't informed the boy's opponent. He was curious about what Ibukai could do if he was pushed.

 _Speaking of the devil..._

The masked boy walked into the arena slowly. The crowd quieted and watched him approach his opponent. No hesitation, no fear, just calm confidence in his eyes.

The Hokage leaned forward, hands folding in anticipation.

A gasp swept through the crowd at the sight of the cloak riding on the boy's shoulders. Even from his position high above the arena, Lord Third could see the Hatake and Uchiha symbols clearly.

 _The boy has guts, I'll give him that._

The two shinobi faced each other in the ring, chakra slowly building as they sized each other up.

"This will be over soon." Jeki said with utter surety. To his surprise, Ibukai simply pulled out a scroll with a chuckle.

"Dance with me!"

Genma was barely able to say _begin_ right before Ibukai suddenly unsealed a sword and charged, swaying side to side unpredictably, leaping into the air and spinning as he brought the black katana down, Jeki barely countering with his own blade, sparks flying.

... ... ...

I ducked under the return blow, sweeping Jeki's legs out from under him and stabbing downwards with my blade. He rolled away, and I felt his chakra flare and grow.

 _First draw from the tailed beast._

"You're faster than I expected." He admitted, leaping forward. Thanks to the three-tails' boost, he was faster than before, about par with me. Now, however, I was blocking, evading, and trying to find and opening.

 _Clang, clang, clang._

... ... ...

"The kid's good." Zabuza said, surprised. "No one has kept up with Jeki. With the power of the three-tails, he can beat me."

Kakashi stared at him. "WHAT?!"

Zabuza chuckled. "Relax, Kakashi. I _do_ hold back. Anyways, Jeki might have met his match. You and I both know that Ibukai wants, no, needs this."

Kakashi, reluctantly, was forced to agree.

 _Crack!_

Their heads whipped around. A lucky kick from Ibukai had sent Jeki flying into the wall, cracking it.

A flicker of red appeared.

"Uh-oh. Second of the three stages of drawing on the tailed beast's power."

... ... ...

My eyes widened, and I dodged as a massive water dragon crashed down where I had been. It fell into nothing before I could hit it with my lightning chakra, though.

Jeki, now covered in the tailed beast's cloak, stood with a chuckle. "Not many people can push me to use the tailed beast. Usually my blade is enough."

I eyed him warily. "I guess I should take it as a compliment, then."

"Indeed. Your trick of electrifying my water isn't going to work, either. I learned of your fighting style from Inwe."

I sighed. "Dammit. FUCK!"

 _Stupid water vortex jutsu._

I sat up, almost on the other end of the arena, coughing the water out of my lungs. "Really?" I finally managed to ask. "Was that really- FUCK!"

Another blast of water took out a chunk of the wall behind me as I dodged, leaping to the side. I channeled chakra to my feet, taking to the walls and running around Jeki as he stood in the center of the ring, launching blast after blast of water at me.

"JASHIN DAMMIT!"

... ... ...

Inwe's eyes narrowed. "Is he…?"

"He is." Sepi happily said.

"Kid's good, I'll give him that."

"He beat you once."

"Fair enough."

... ... ...

Third stage: Complete tailed beast state.

"GYAHHH!" I yelled, running away from the spinning wheel of death.

Jeki now resembled a small red version of the three-tails. He was currently trying to crush me, giving up on the whole trying-to-blast-me-into-a-million-different-bits-via-water thing. I was content to run.

Well, mostly content. Once I was sure he was following, I dodged to the side, turned, and swung my sword with all of my force, clotheslining the kid.

 _WHACK!_

My sword went flying, ripped out of my hands by the force of impact, but it achieved the desired effect. He was laid out flat. I heard a cheer as the tailed beast state started fading. I let out a sigh of relief.

... ... ...

"That's not all your student has, is it?" Kakashi asked Zabuza.

"Kid's not out yet, not by a long shot. When the three-tails reabsorbs into him, though, it adds whatever remaining chakra it has to his own. Essentially, he absorbs the three-tails chakra, turning it into his own. He can no longer use the tailed beast's form, but it increases his power greatly."

Kakashi whirled back towards the ring, but he felt a firm hand clamp onto his shoulder. "Kakashi, if your boy can't survive this, he's not fit to be in the big leagues. Jeki is probably the only one who can push him to his true potential right now. You need to accept this fact. If he fails, he dies, but you can't intervene unless you want him to never get to where he needs to be."

Kakashi just stared at the ongoing fight.

 _I'm going to lose my son._

If it wasn't for Zabuza holding him, he would have leapt down and ended Jeki right then and there, but Zabuza was right. He needed to watch this through to the end.

... ... ...

I went flying from a vicious kick by Jeki. He had absorbed the tailed beast's chakra, and was currently using me as a pingpong ball.

I crashed against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position as he approached.

 _Not...good…_

The sound of metal piercing flesh was unmistakable, and I cried out as he buried a kunai a bit below my right shoulder, up to the hilt.

Jeki then stood above me, his own blade hanging loosely in his hand. "You are a tough opponent. Without the tailed beast, you no doubt would have won. However, it seems victory is mine. Yield."

I glared at him. "I'm...not done...yet." I growled out, struggling to pull my sword out.

"You have lost. Continuing to fight is pointless."

I gave up with my struggle. "Look, give up...on making me...give up. If...Naruto never quit...I won't...either!"

Jeki sighed, pulling back his sword for a blow. "Goodbye."

"NOW!"

On cue, my shadow clone leapt out from where he had been waiting just inside of the stairs, lightning dragon at the ready.

"Lightning style: Lightning dragon!"

The draw on chakra that the jutsu required caused my shadow clone to disperse, but the dragon hit close nearby…

And electrified the literal lake we were in.

... ... ...

"I...was not expecting that."

My eyes snapped open. Jeki was still standing, although his chakra was mostly gone. He looked like shit though.

"Are you fucking serious?" I wheezed.

He raised his sword. "You are beaten."

I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. "Not yet."

... ... ...

Sepi stood on her toes, straining to see what was going on. Ibukai was sitting against the wall, and Jeki was standing over him. They were obviously having some sort of conversation, but Sepi knew what Ibukai was really doing.

"Just a little longer…"

Inwe glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

Sepi only grinned.

... ... ...

Jeki swung downwards with his sword, but I was no longer there, ripping myself forward, the kunai still embedded in the wall, covered in my blood, and I rolled to the side and dashed to my own blade, picking it up and turning just in time to knock aside a stab meant for my back.

I smirked as I locked blades with Jeki. "You didn't really think this was over, did you?"

His eyes narrowed. "Forcing me to use my chakra to create a lake, and then using a powerful lightning jutsu you already had prepared, using the lake to amplify it. Since I had no time to dodge, I had to use much of my remaining chakra to negate the damage. I would like very much to know how you managed to clothesline me in tailed beast state, though."

I jumped away from him, sliding to a stop on the wet surface. "I had Sepi take my blade to a sealmaster I know. It was reinforced with seals that were set to activate on contact with tailed beast's chakra, forcing it to recede."

His eyes narrowed. "Is that so? I am curious how you knew I was a Jinchuriki."

"To tell you the truth, I didn't." I confessed. "I was gearing up to fight Gaara."

"LEAVE TAKUNI-PANDA ALONE!" We heard Sepi roar at me.

He chuckled and shook his head, falling into a fighting stance. "You're teammate is…"

"Psychotic, I know." I replied, my Sharingan flaring to life. "Shall we dance?"

He smirked. "Let's."


	34. NejiIbukai friendship Omake (Shippuden)

_*Alright, guys. I have created a special gift for you. An omake, Shippuden-era, of Ibukai's and Neji's friendship. It was going to be basically a filler for the story, but I thought, hey, instead of making your SUPER AWESOME readers wait for this piece, why not give it to them just because they are so awesome? So, without further ado, please enjoy! Oh, be warned, this is long and uses quite a bit of language. Pffft. If you guys cared about that, you wouldn't be here in the first place.*_

Tsunade sighed. "You want to what?"

Sepi grinned at me, and I did my best to ignore her. "I want to request that Sepi, Miko, and I get a mission by ourselves. How are we supposed to prove our worth if we don't test ourselves? Besides, it would be fun."

Tsunade rubbed her forehead, as if trying to stave off a headache. "You want to take on a mission that normally requires six members and do it with only three, mostly for the reason that it would be fun."

"Yes. Geez, it's like I didn't just spend the last ten minutes explaining that."

A vein in Tsunade's head twitched, and I hid my grin. What? I couldn't help it that it was fun to antagonize her.

Shizune sighed. "Anko?"

Our sensei nodded from where she stood next to me. "They have my approval."

Tsunade glared at me. "Fine, dammit. Now get out of here. Anko, stay so I can give you the details for the mission."

"What's the rank?" I asked, making no move to leave, about two seconds before Tsunade threw me out the window.

... ... ...

"Do you hear something?" Neji asked his teammates as they were heading to meet up with their sensei.

Tenten stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"I hear the youthful cry!" Lee exclaimed. "Sounds like someone yelling look out-"

"BELOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

 _WHAM!_

Ibukai picked himself off the ground, brushing himself off, not looking at all like he just took a one-step shortcut to the ground from the top of the Hokage's Tower.

"Did you…just jump off the Hokage's tower?" Tenten asked.

"Actually, I got thrown out of the window. Guess I antagonized the Hokage too much."

"Testing your youthfulness against the Hokage herself? How youthful!" Lee exlaimed.

Ibukai slowly backed away. "Uh, yea, look at the time…"

Neji smirked. "What's the matter, Ibukai? Surely you would like to train with Guy-sensei, seeing as how you're so eager to be youthful."

That word tasted like poison coming out of his mouth, but the ending result was was worth it.

"Yosh! Come train with us, Ibukai! Truly, it will be a youthful experience!" Lee cried, striking his 'heroic' pose before dragging Ibukai off, despite the other shinobi's vehement protests. Ibukai did have time to shoot Neji an _I-am-going-to-murder-you look_ , however.

"That was pure evil." Tenten remarked.

Neji nodded, quite pleased with himself.

"Isn't he your friend?"

"He is indeed." Neji remarked.

Tenten gave him a confused look, but nodded.

... ... ...

"Yosh! You're training with us today, Ibukai?!" Guy-sensei almost yelled.

"Apparently." I muttered, giving the entire team a death glare. Lee and Guy didn't notice, and Neji was simply looking pleased with himself, but at least Tenten had the decency to look apologetic.

"Yosh! Lee, run a hundred laps around the training grounds, and then do a thousand push-ups! Neji, Tenten, spar with each other! I shall gauge our youthful comrade's ability!"

I glared at Neji, who smirked and left with Tenten. With a sigh, I turned to Guy-sensei.

"I'm not that good at Taijutsu."

"I figured as much." He said, rubbing his chin. "Which is why...You need this!" He said, dramatically revealing a green jumpsuit like the one he and Lee wore.

My eye twitched. "Hell. No."

"It will let the youthfulness flow through you!"

"I don't want anything flowing through me without my full permission, and that green blob doesn't have it!"

"It will help increase your Taijutsu power!"

"I don't care if it makes me as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths himself! I ain't wearing that!"

"It will-"

I charged, lashing out with a barrage of punches. Guy-sensei threw the jumpsuit into the air and leapt back, blocking all my blows.

"Yosh! Let your fire of youth burn!"

 _Why isn't he attacking?_ I thought as I kept up my onslaught.

That's when the green jumpsuit landed on the ground, and it hit me. No, quite literally, it hit me, in the form of a tremendous roundhouse kick from Guy-sensei, which threw me almost forty feet. I was stopped by a tree, and I slowly picked myself up.

 _That's gonna leave a mark._

Both in me and in the tree, actually. I ducked to the side to avoid a punch from Guy-sensei, and the mark from me was the least of its worries as the punch sent the Jashin-damned tree flying.

My mouth dropped, and I leapt backwards, only for Guy-sensei to appear behind me.

 _He's fast!_

I activated my Sharingan, redirecting Guy's fist to the side and kicking at him. He simply dodged and replied with a kick of his own, which sent me flying backwards again, towards another tree. This time I lashed out with my chakra as I made contact, causing me to land on the trunk and swing around, much like tree walking, only flying at Mach II. The result? I flew back towards Guy-sensei. I punched just as I got to him, causing him to go flying this time. Well, back a couple feet, anyways.

He laughed as we both picked ourselves off the ground. "I would expect nothing less from the son of my eternal rival! Very well, now let's do this without the kid gloves!"

My stomach dropped. _He had...kid gloves...on?_

I fairly heard Neji laughing his ass off as Guy-sensei charged at me.

 _Oh, fuck me!_

 _... ... ..._

Neji was still smirking as he helped me limp along, my arm around his shoulders as he supported me.

"Wipe that damn smirk off your face, will you?" I growled, annoyed.

"You certainly can't do anything about it."

"Fuck. You. Arrogant prick of a bastard."

Neji started shaking from poorly-concealed laughter, and I was about to snap at him when I looked up. We were in front of the Hyuuga compound, and more importantly, Hiashi Hyuuga was standing in front of the gates, Hanabi close behind him, looking shocked at what I had just said. I turned beat-red from embarrassment.

"Neji, I'm gonna kill you." I hissed.

... ... ...

I slid into the bath with a groan of appreciation. The Hyuuga compound basically had their own hot tubs, and I'd be damned if it didn't feel good, especially after a day of getting my ass handed to me by Guy-sensei. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are were at your compound? Cursing in front of Hiashi isn't something that feels comfortable."

"Maybe you shouldn't curse, then." Neji said from the other side of the bath house.

"Go fuck yourself."

Neji glanced behind me, and I groaned. "He's standing right behind me, isn't he?"

"No." Neji said with a smirk.

"Oh, you can go straight to hell!"

"It's called training with Guy-sensei."

I let out a tortured groan. "No shit."

"Dinner is in an hour. I'll have someone bring clothes and escort you when it's time, as I can safely assume you're not moving until then."

"Damn straight."

He left with a chuckle, and I proceeded to enjoy an hour of bliss. In fact, I had dozed off when I heard the door open. I grabbed for a kunai before I realized where I was.

I heard a chuckle behind me, and I turned to see a Hyuuga place a clean kimono on a stool next to the door.

"Hiashi-sama instructed me to fetch you." She said with a smile before excusing herself.

I lifted myself out of the bath, or at least, tried to. In the hour I had spent sitting, my muscles had stiffened, and while the hot water had numbed the pain, I was still stiff as a board.

 _Fuck._

I tried once, twice, and a third time before I splashed back into the water.

 _Jashin-damnit._

The door slid open again, and the same girl stood there, attempting not to laugh.

"I'm so glad you're getting enjoyment out of this." I said dryly.

"You should have stretched your muscles out before you entered the baths." She said, trying and failing to hide her smile.

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda, and ain't helping me now." I said, attempting to glare. I had a reputation to uphold, after all. It just caused her to giggle, and I found my glare fading. Finally, I sighed. "You were watching that entire thing, weren't you?"

She simply smiled.

"Fucking Byakugan."

Another smile.

"So, you wanna help me or what?"

She raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, the great Uchiha needs help getting out of the bath?"

"Go to hell." I retorted. "It's not like I train with Guy-sensei on a weekly basis. Besides, you're not gonna see anything you haven't seen before, considering you can see through solid objects. I swear, all of the Hyuuga clan are closet perverts."

"I cannot confirm that." She said, moving to help me.

"You can't exactly deny it, either." I replied as she helped me out of the Jashin-damned bath. She then handed me the kimono.

"Do you need help with this, too?"

"I can fucking dress myself." I snapped. I was incredibly stiff, but I got the job done. Sure, it would have been easier to accept help from the, well, rather cute girl standing near me, but my pride had taken enough of a beating today.

She cast an amused eye over my sloppy work, and I glared at her, daring her to make a comment. With a shrug and a swift motion, she stepped close and re-tied my belt, making sure the kimono was firmly secure.

I sighed. Great. I found the only Hyuuga that will accept a death threat from me with a smile before doing exactly what I threatened against.

"Lead on." I said, defeated.

... ... ...

The Hyuuga lead me to the main dining room before bowing and walking a different direction. I glanced after her before taking the offered seat next to Neji, who sat far closer to Hiashi than I would have guessed.

Maybe it's a change in policy? Who knows, maybe the Hyuuga finally got the sticks out of their asses.

 _Pffft. Yea right._

"I trust Yukiko wasn't too much trouble?" Neji asked with a tiny smirk.

I grimaced as I knelt by Neji, more from stiffness than anything else. "You bastard." I muttered, low enough that only he heard me.

He looked smug.

I sighed and looked around the room. Hinata sat next to her father, and Hanabi sat to the right of her.

 _I though Hanabi was the heiress?_

Neji must have seen my confused expression. "Hinata recently won the heiress title back." He explained in a low voice.

"How?"

He smirked. "We trained non-stop for almost two years, honing her unique fighting style. Then, she challenged Hiashi."

It was all I could do not to shout in surprise. Instead, I contented myself with looking at Neji in barely-concealed shock.

"And?" I managed.

"Lord Hiashi beat her, but it wasn't an easy fight for him. She forced him to the point where he almost had to kill her to win. He then declared her the heiress, and to be completely honest, she's been running most of the clan matters lately. Hiashi mainly just gives out her orders and keeps the Elders in their place."

I looked around just now realizing all of the Hyuugas that didn't have their foreheads covered by hair proudly displayed blank foreheads.

"The Caged Bird seal…"

Neji smiled.

... ... ...

"I heard from Neji that you trained with his sensei today?" Hiashi directed the comment at me, and I hastily swallowed the rice I had just put in my mouth.

"Yes, Hyuuga-sama, although it's not an experience I'd like to repeat."

I heard knowing chuckles from around the room, and if I had to guess, I'd say a couple of the Hyuuga decided challenging Guy had been a good idea, only to be rapidly proven wrong.

"I would have, actually, avoided it completely, but somebody decided that setting me up to take a beating would be a good idea." I said, glaring at Neji.

"So un-you-" Neji began, but I cut him off.

"Finish that sentence and die." I said.

He smirked.

... ... ...

Neji and I walked outside after dinner, and I wasted no time stretching out my sore muscles.

"Why are you doing this?" I said with a glare. "I'm gonna be sore for the mission tomorrow."

"Because it's fun."

"Oh, so now you take that stick out of you-"

"I told you to fuck off!" A semi-familiar voice filtered through the night air, and both Neji and I turned at the sound.

"Hey, isn't that Yukiko?" I asked, but Neji was already heading in the direction of the voice.

"Oh, come on, what's the harm?" Another voice replied as Neji and I peered around the corner. Yukiko looked ready to kill another Hyuuga, who simply gave that smile that makes someone's face so damn punchable.

"Who's that fucker?" I growled.

"Give it up, Ryoko!" Yukiko snapped.

"Ryoko Hyuuga, Yukiko's future husband." Neji replied, glowering.

"EHH?!" I hissed.

"Arranged marriage."

"Ah."

"Just one little kiss. What's the matter? It's not like more than that will be shared in a few years."

I twitched. "I do NOT like this guy."

"Neither do I, but Hyuugas attacking Hyuugas is not exactly an easy situation to be dealt with. However, if a Hyuuga were to attack an Uchiha, then the matter would be much easier to...deal with."

I glanced at Neji. "You crafty bastard."

We heard a dull thunk, and glanced around the corner again to see Yukiko with her hands pinned over her head by Ryoko, who used one hand to pin her against a wooden post and the other to grab her by the chin. She tried kneeing him, but he simply turned sideways to protect his family jewels. He leaned in, and closed his eyes.

Next thing he knew, he was flying through the air before slamming into the stone walls that surrounded the Hyuuga compound.

"Oy, I had that completely under control!" Yukiko snapped, rubbing her wrists.

"Anybody ever tell you that you have a punchable face?" I asked with a grin, cracking my knuckles, directing the comment at Ryoko as Yukiko moved out of the way.

"Oh, the half-blood." He said, standing.

I twitched.

"What did you just say?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm.

"Half-blood? Oh, nothing too insulting. After all, what can I say that would be more damaging to your honor than what you've done yourself? Why don't you get lost before your very existence causes this clan to die, too?"

 _Twitch._

... ... ...

Yukiko's jaw dropped as she watched Ibukai use Ryoko as a punching bag, forming three shadow clones before using every weapon in his arsenal to beat the Hyuuga to a pulp. Even Neji, standing next to her, looking a little green around the gills.

"I...may have overdone it." He admitted.

"Do I have time to get a snack?" Yukiko asked, to which Neji simply shook his head.

... ... ...

Hiashi sighed as the Hyuuga guards brought Ibukai into his private study, Neji in tow. However, the headache starting to form turned to confusion when no one else entered.

"Where is Ryoko?" He asked. "I believe that he was also part of this disturbance?"

"Um...Hiashi-sama…" One of the guards started.

"Yes?" He asked, growing annoyed.

"He's in intensive care." Neji finished for the guard, who shot him a grateful look.

Hiashi took several deep breaths, trying to contain his anger. "Care to explain yourself?" He said to the guest standing before him.

Ibukai looked thoughtful. "Well, the shadow clone thing grew old, so I decided to test out my jutsu, and then- Oh! You meant explain why I did it?"

Hiashi had to breathe several more times. "I'm beginning to see why Lady Tsunade threw you out a window."

"Well, I can't say much for seeing from your point of view, but from mine it was a very pretty picture. At least until I hit the ground."

"Leave." Hiashi said, directing the comment at the guards. Ibukai happily followed them, but Neji snagged the back of his once-clean kimono.

"Oh, just them?"

Neji sighed as well. "I think Sepi has rubbed off on you."

"Would you prefer I go back to beating the living shit out of Ryoko? I can do that, you know."

"WHAT CAUSED YOU TO PLACE A HYUUGA IN INTENSIVE CARE?!" Hiashi roared.

"I'd say a kick, but it was a fucking lot more than that." Ibukai replied calmly. "Maybe the insults he said beforehand, about my very existence causing the deaths of both my clan and mother, as well as the people who raised me? Or the fact that he was currently trying to force Yukiko to kiss him? Pinning her against a post? Or the fact that he just was so damn punchable?"

Hiashi blinked in surprise before looking towards Neji, who nodded in conformation. The head of the Hyuuga then sat back in defeat.

"I...suppose that justifies a severe beating. At least no harm was done that is permanent-...Oh no." He said as the two shinobi in front of him glanced at each other.

"What is it now?" He asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Well...umm…"

"He insulted Ibukai's lineage."

"I got that." Hiashi said, extremely worried now.

"And said that I would never have a line of my own, 'cause they all would die before they got old enough to realize they had been born."

Hiashi felt the pit of dread open. "What did you do?"

Ibukai looked pointedly away. "Umm…"

"Spit it out!"

"I castrated him with a chopstick."

Hiashi blinked once. Then twice. "What?" He asked, hoping he had misheard.

"I had my shadow clone go to the kitchen, grab the worst-looking chopstick in there, and I castrated him with it."

"You...castrated him...with a chopstick…."

"And then I fireball jutsu'd the shit out of them. Then, I grabbed the ashes and fed them to him."

Hiashi just stared at Ibukai in shock, trying to form words.

"Priceless." Ibukai said solemnly.

"Priceless." Neji echoed with the same solemn look.

"..." Hiashi stared at the two figures in front of him.

"So, we good here?" Ibukai prompted.

"Y-yes. I b-believe that will be sufficient. Dismissed." Hiashi managed to stutter out. He watched in disbelief as the duo turned, fistbumped, and walked shoulder-to-shoulder out of the room. Hiashi then laid his forehead on the desk and stayed there for several hours, wondering how to explain to the Elders what had just transpired.


	35. The Invasion

I would like to say I won, but in the end, Jeki simply bested me through sheer experience with a sword. Even with my Sharingan, he won, but it was far from a close fight, lasting several hours and leaving both of us drained.

I landed flat on my back, Jeki's sword to my throat, after a vicious kick that had taken me off-guard.

Genma held up a hand. "Winner: Jeki."

He sheathed his sword and held out a hand to me. "You...were excellent."

I accepted the hand and he pulled me to my feet, placing my arm over his shoulder and helping me limp off the field. Why limp, you may ask? Oh, just because he had stabbed me through my leg earlier in the fight. "Thanks. You still won, though."

"Not by a wide margin, though. You are indeed a worthy opponent."

"Thank you."

The crowd cheered as we made our way off the field, not as opponents, but friends. Those in the contestant's booth just stared at us as we got up there.

"...Yes?" I asked warily.

Ino finally managed to stutter out what everybody was thinking. "He's a jinchuriki?! You're a-?!"

I held up a hand. "Please, Ino, we just came out of a fight, and I'd rather not have to deal with stupid questions about the obvious."

Her face grew red with embarrassment and anger as chuckles emerged from around the box, and Jeki smirked as he set me down against one of the walls.

"You should get that leg looked at." He said dryly.

"Last time someone 'looked at' my leg, they ran it through with a sword." I deadpanned.

He just shook his head and moved away as a medic showed up. He knelt by me and his hands glowed green as he examined the leg and started healing the damaged tissues.

Sepi came over as well. "Nice, man! Sure screwed with people's heads when they saw that cloak."

I smirked. "That's what I meant for it to do."

She looked up as the next match was announced. "Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara of the Sand."

I looked at her, worried. "What's the plan?"

She leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "Gaara knows what to expect. When Sasuke uses the Chidori, he'll pretend to go berserk. The Sand will jump in, and aid us against the Sound. Apparently there's another village aiding them, but it's too late to change the plan now."

I grimaced as the medic used chakra to mend my muscles back together. "I wasn't expecting to lose to Jeki, honestly. It's left me with little enough chakra as it is."

"Don't worry about that." She said, waving it off.

Kankuro glanced at me. He was sweating and starting to fidget as the Invasion grew nearer, and I could tell Temari was worried, too, even though she appeared calm and collected.

 _Soon._

... ... ...

When the Invasion actually happened, I was falling asleep without the aid of the feather Genjutsu. What? I was bored!

Next thing I know, Kankuro is shaking me awake, his puppet already out of the bandages. I leapt to my feet, sword in hand, and dashed over to take a look at the arena. Sasuke and Gaara had stopped fighting each other, and the Sound was very, very surprised that their allies had turned against them as vengeful Sand shinobi started cutting them down. However, a new ninja force was here, too, ones I didn't recognize, with the kanji for "Silence" carved into their headbands. A glance at the Kage Box revealed the barrier up already, and I tightened my grip on my sword as the contestant box cleared, most every Genin trying to get out of there. Kankuro and Temari were making their way to Baki, and Zabuza's team was already at his side, with the S-rank ninja cutting down all those who would get in his way as he charged into the thickest fighting.

I was about to jump down when I felt a hand latch onto my arm, and I turned to see Sepi.

"Ibukai, go." She said urgently. "Evacuate the Leaf. Things are under control here."

"The fuck are you talking about?!" I snapped.

"Just go!" She said, pushing me away from the fight

That's when it hit me. She didn't _want_ me in the battle. She had laid out the plan, carefully organized what was going to happen, befriended Gaara, all so that the Invasion would go according to _her_ plan. Brilliant, honestly. What stung, though, was she had done everything herself. I didn't have a part in the plan. Me, her teammate, her friend. She had planned this out with the assumption that I wasn't going to be there.

She looked away as realization flooded into me, followed by anger, and then...just disappointment. Heavy, depressing disappointment.

"Am I really that weak in your eyes?" I asked quietly. "Do you really trust me that little?"

"Please, Ibukai, just..go." She said, looking at the ground.

I turned away. "So much for trusting each other, huh?" With that, I took off.

... ... ...

To my sadistic joy, there was plenty of enemy shinobi to deal with in the village. Even as I cut them down, I was hurrying to find any civilians and send them towards safety. However, on the downside, many of these shinobi were Chuunin-level or higher, and my chakra depletion was growing steadily worse, and I was slowing down. Blood dripped down from various cuts on my body, showing when I hadn't been quick enough to avoid various weapons.

"Ibukai!"

I whirled, hissing in pain at the movement. I had headed for where the snake summon was wreaking havoc, delighted to find enemy shinobi. Sure, I was running out of chakra, but so what? I took my pain and anger out on every single fucker that crossed my path, and the street behind me was littered with bodies.

One of the civilian mothers (Denna, Diana? Something like that.) came running up to me.

"What is it?" I snapped. "You should be evacuating!" _Everyone else is has evacuated already, you stupid-!_

"Ninja! Weird headbands! They have some of us surrounded! I barely got away!"

I glanced over to where Orochimaru's snake summon was wreaking chaos. It was dangerously close to my family's store…

"They have my children! Please!"

I took a deep breath. "Lead on."

I wasn't about to let some enemy nin kill Konoha's civilians.

 _Please be safe, Mom._

... ... ...

We ran, full-force around the corner of the street, only to come face-to-face with six enemy nin, four Sound and two of the new ones. The kanji for "Silence" was carved into their headbands. Information I needed to ponder _later._

I shoved the civilian behind me, even as the enemy nin reacted and leapt towards me. My shoulder screamed in protest as I dodged the first Sound nin, yanking a kunai out of his open holster and sinking it in between his ribs, clear to the hilt.

I readied my katana.

"Run." I told the woman as I took up a fighting stance, my Sharingan blazing to life.

One of them threw several shurikens at me, and the fight was on as I caught them and sent them whirling back.

... ... ...

Miko's plan went to capture Ibukai for Orochimaru went to shit when additional shinobi arrived and the Leaf Village turned into a fucking warzone. Worse, he was caught in the dead center of it.

 _This is such a drag!_ Was his only thought as he sent his shadows forward to hold yet another Sound shinobi in place as he threw a kunai at them.

"I just want to go home!" He roared in frustration as he was forced into hand-to-hand combat with another shinobi.

... ... ...

Sepi smirked in grim satisfaction as Orochimaru was forced to retreat. "Take that, Pedo-snake!" She yelled at him as Lord Third and his accompanying ANBU looked at her strangely.

*AN: _Ibukai LOST? Miko wanted to WHAT? Well, at least Lord Third is alive, right? Just bear with me guys. Not all OC can win their fights in the Chuunin exams. And, never fear, all will be explained about why Miko did what he did in the coming chapters. I'll do a double update today, just so you guys aren't kept waiting. Oh, shout-out to Reign Of Sorrow for his feedback on the story. As always, if you guys have_ _criticism, feedback, anything, go ahead and leave me a review. Reviews are love. Onwards!*_


	36. Tragedy

Kakashi went in pursuit of Ibukai as soon as the Hokage was secured and the enemy nin had been dealt with. He had a familiar sinking filling in the pit of his stomach as he saw smoke rising from the district Ibukai lived in. It only got worse when he arrived at Ibukai's home, which had been reduced to a pile of burning rubble.

The feeling worsened when he saw Ibukai kneeling in front of his house, a dead Sound nin not far from him, clutching something in his hands. The heat was bad enough to scorch him, but he wasn't moving.

Quick as a flash, Kakashi was dragging him away from the flames and assessing his minor burns. Unless he missed his guess, the boy was suffering from a severe case of chakra exhaustion as well. The mask had been burnt almost totally away from his face, and Kakashi sighed, but the action was silenced as Ibukai looked up at him.

Hopelessness, agony, rage, hatred, all these emotions and more were present in the boy's fully mature Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning as he took in Kakashi.

That's when Kakashi noticed the object in Ibukai's hands. It was the boy's copy of _The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_ , and it was soaked in blood.

... ... ...

"How is he?" Anko asked the medical nin as he exited the hospital room Ibukai had been placed in. Thanks to the forewarning from the Sand nin (or so they believed) even though the village had suffered casualties, the hospital could hold them all, even if it was packed and almost all medical nin were overworked.

Said medical nin stopped tiredly in front of Anko. "Physically? His wounds have been treated and will heal in a week or two. He has a severe, and I mean _severe_ , case of chakra exhaustion. He's in an induced coma, but he'll be out of it in a couple days. As far as mentally…" He sighed and shook his head. "That'll be a Yamanaka's job to figure out. He seemed to be in severe shock before we put him in the coma, though."

She growled. "Damnit."

"If that's all, I have other patients I need to tend to."

Anko made a shooing motion that sent the medic scurrying as she entered her student's room. He was laying, heavily bandaged, and she sighed as she inspected him. _Multiple stab wounds_ was one of the phrases in the report at the foot of his bed, as well as _severe_ _chakra exhaustion_ and _severe burns_. The blood-soaked copy of his favorite book was on the stand next to his bed, drying slowly in the afternoon sun.

"The hell happened, kid?" She asked softly.

 _Later that evening…_

Miko and Sepi were standing by their unconscious teammate's bedside, silent. Finally, it was Miko who broke the silence.

"He almost died for characters in a fantasy." He almost whispered, not understanding. "Why?"

"Because they bleed to." Was Sepi's answer.

... ... ...

 _"Mom!"_

 _Too much time lost. Another enemy. The hawk strikes again. Safe. Burning. The snake wrecked it all._

 _"Mom!" I screamed, tearing the burning rubble away with my bare hands. Hot blood soaking the pages, the book thrust at me. Golden smile. The hawk swoops in, the roof collapses. The hawk doesn't scream._

 _Hot blood soaks into my burned hands. Flames lick at my face. I can't bring myself to care._

*AN: _Short chapter, I know. I promise to update Monday. We're getting into some deep, emotional stuff, I know. I promise though, if you guys just stick with me and this story, it'll turn out good. After all, the best blades are forged in the hottest fires.*_


	37. Blood soaked rose

Inoichi Yamanaka sadly lowered his hands as he released his clan's technique. Lord Third and Anko Mitarashi stood side-by-side, awaiting his report.

He sighed. "He has experienced severe emotional trauma."

"Of what kind, exactly?" The Hokage asked, his unlit pipe hanging from his lips.

"The kind that could make him give up on becoming a shinobi." Inoichi said flatly.

... ... ...

I awoke to one thing: cold fury.

"Ibukai?"

I turned to see Sepi standing up, and upon further inspection, I saw Miko sitting against the hospital room's wall.

"I'm going to kill him." I said coldly. "I'm gonna nail that snake fucker to the Hokage's monument with his own fucking fangs."

... ... ...

 _Two weeks later…_

The village's repair was going fine, as only the part where the giant damn snake attacked was actually damaged. There will relatively few losses, but my parents were among them. Hence the reason why I was dressed in black, standing in the pouring rain with my team as a mass funeral was held for shinobi and civilians alike that had died in the attack.

Lord Hokage stood in the front, living proof that we could, indeed, change this world. The faces in the pictures on the memorial table, however, showed that we hadn't succeeded fully. As one of the ones who lost a family member to the invasion, I stood near the front as well, a white rose gripped painfully in my hand, and I was mindless of the thorns.

How long had it been? How long had I been here? I didn't remember. All I remembered was Mom's smiling face when I came home at night, her frown of concern when I was injured, her hugs, warm, comforting, when I was upset. Dad was nowhere as expressive, but he showed it other ways. His pastries had accompanied me on every mission, and whenever I came into the shop on my way to our second-story home, he had been sure, even if he was with a customer, to pause what he was doing and greet me with a "welcome home, son." He had quit ANBU just to be a father to me.

I began wondering if I had truly valued them enough.

... ... ...

Kakashi stood with the rest of the Jounin, but he was watching Ibukai. His _son_. When Aiko had told him that she was pregnant, he panicked. Who wouldn't? He had been 15, in the ANBU, for Kami's sake! She was a year younger, and the Uchiha wouldn't look favorably upon one of their own becoming pregnant out of wedlock with the person that they saw as the reason for one of their own dying.

He had seen how hurt she had been when he freaked out. Those normally kind eyes, deep in pain, even as she forced a smile and suggested they give the child away. Kakashi, deep down, knew it had been the wrong decision when he had agreed. He sought out Toru, one of his mentors in ANBU, and had asked him and his new wife to look after the child when it was born. Since Shena couldn't have children, they had readily agreed.

Aiko had been insistent on one thing: she wouldn't cut the child off from her clan. Few people had known the child's origins, her immediate family being one of them. She, in retrospect, had been as much of a mother as she possible could be to her son, without him knowing the truth. Her younger brother Shisui had taken to the boy like a true uncle, and he and Itachi often taught the boy in their spare time. Ibukai and Sasuke had grown close, too. Little by little, Kakashi began to interact with Ibukai. First in passing, then bringing little treats whenever he visited the Uchiha compound, which was admittedly much less frequent than the visits should have been.

Then everything changed when the Massacre occurred. Whatever happened to Ibukai, he no longer had a recollection of the event. Everything before he was 5 was seemingly erased from his memory. What Kakashi regretted the most, even above Itachi's betrayal and Aiko's death, was the fact that Ibukai would probably never remember Aiko's smiling face. He wouldn't remember Shena bringing the boy by and leaving him at Aiko's for the entire day, even sometimes overnight. Kakashi had been there one night when Aiko had tucked the tired boy in, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead before turning out the light and closing the boy's favorite book, placing it on the nightstand.

 _"He's like you." She said, tucking her chin-length hair over her ear. "Sometimes he likes to cover his face with scarves or blankets. He likes broiled Saury, and eggplant with Miso soup, just like you." With that, she brushed by him, closing the door, leaving him in the dark with his son._

 _He stood watch all night._

... ... ...

Anko looked sadly at where her student stood near the front of the crowd, head bowed, shoulders hunched. Inochi had described what the boy went through, and honestly, he was right. There was a strong possibility Ibukai would quit being a shinobi. Seeing your mother and father burn to death in front of you usually did that to people.

Ibukai's head suddenly shot up and he strode forward, interrupting the Hokage's speech with his sudden action. In one smooth motion he placed his rose on the table in front of his parent's pictures before turning and walking away, eyes forward, not stopping once to look back. Anko saw Sepi start to move to intercept him, but stop at the last second. A soft gasp came from the front, and Anko looked away from Ibukai's retreating back to see his 'white' rose that he had put down.

It was red, stained with blood.

Anko smiled without humor. It was a testament, an oath that all assembled shinobi understood. A blood oath for revenge.

"Looks like he hasn't given up on being a shinobi, yet." She muttered just loud enough for Kakashi to hear.


	38. Am I weak?

*AN: _Another short chapter, so I think I'll do a double update today. You guys earned it! XD So, I have successfully completed this story on my Google Docs, which means regular or even double updates should be no problem. I've also started on the Shippuden sequel to this story, which I will begin posting when this story is complete.*_

Sepi made Chuunin, but not me. Miko didn't either, but that much was obvious. Still, we took a day to celebrate her and Shikamaru's promotion. The problem was I just didn't feel like celebrating.

"Cheer up." Sepi said, elbowing me as we walked along to meet up with the rest of the teams for barbeque. "Sure, you didn't win, but you kinda got a sucky matchup."

"Hn." Was my only response.

Her face paled. "Oh no. Quick, Miko! We must fix this! He's going Uchiha!"

Yea, so even though I didn't win the match, every shinobi there saw my Sharingan. I wish I kept the secret a bit better, like Sepi. That girl could keep her mouth shut better than a nun! Said girl had 'accidentally' mentioned that Danzo _and_ Orochimaru would now be interested in acquiring my Sharingan, hence, why I was tired. Paranoid sleepless nights.

I sighed as we arrived at the barbeque place. Please let something happen so I don't have to deal with this shit. I prayed silently. Unfortunately, nothing happened, and Sepi pulled me into the building, along with Miko.

"We're here!" She yelled, deafening the rest of the gathered Genin.

"What a drag." Simultaneous mutters were heard from the two Nara, and Ino glared at her younger sister.

"Jeez! No need to be so loud!"

They started arguing as we sat down, and as luck would have it, I found myself sitting right across the table from Sasuke. He locked eyes with me and nodded once, in acknowledgement, and then turned away, continuing his conversation with Shikamaru.

I shook my head and proceeded to start cooking some meat, carefully guarding it against Choji, who was eating everything in sight.

Team 8 was the last to arrive, and there was barely any seating left. Hinata took the only available seat next to Naruto with a blush on her face and Sepi on her other side (no doubt my teammate planned it that way) while Kiba sat next to Choji and Shino slid into the last seat next to me.

"Hey, Shino." I greeted, sliding a bowl of raw meat over to him so he could start cooking his own. This movement distracted me from my own food, and I turned to find a couple chunks of meat missing. I glared at the culprit, or should I say culprits, as Kiba and Choji had gotten into a competition to see who could eat more. They had taken to stealing their teammate's food, too, and I mostly let them. Despite the fact that we were supposed to be celebrating, I just didn't feel in a celebratory mood.

My hand rubbed unconsciously against the scars the memorial rose had left when I was holding onto it with a deathgrip, and I vividly remembered the shock when I looked down at it to see it soaked in blood that day.

I had been too weak to defeat Jeki, I had been too weak to deal with Orochimaru, and I had been so weak that I let my parents die. The only reasons Lord Third had survived was because of the Sand fighting with the Leaf, instead of against it, the ANBU being hidden nearby to aid Lord Third, and preparations that Lord Third had taken himself.

And Sepi had done it all.

I, to be honest, had done jack shit. Sepi was the reason so much was different this time around. She had taken it upon herself to improve this world, and while I tried to help, my attempts had been miserably lacking compared to hers. So, while the others laughed and chatted (barring Sasuke) I was stuck with one vivid thought:

 _I'm too weak._

That thought hit me like a bucket of cold water, and I stood up, startling everybody at the table.

 _I'm so fucking weak, and what am I doing? Pretending to celebrate, being lazy, as the others pull even farther ahead of me._

I turned away from the table and walked away, food forgotten.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Sepi called out, confused.

I paused for a millisecond. "To train." With that, I walked away.


	39. Itachi and Kisame

*AN: _Second part of the update! The Akatsuki's first attempt at Naruto!*_

 _One week later._

Sasuke ran as fast as he could to Team 6's training grounds.

Normally, he was too proud to ask for anyone's help.

Normally, he could handle anything coming his way.

Normally, he would just plow through any obstacles.

Normally, Itachi didn't show up, hospitalize his sensei, and head after Sasuke's (grudgingly) best friend.

The situation wasn't normal.

"Ibukai."

... ... ...

"Ibukai."

I turned dismissively to tell Sasuke to fuck off, that I was in the middle of my private training session, as well as a mass of other things, but his frantic voice and wild eyes made my blood run cold.

"Itachi." I said tonelessly.

He nodded, and in that moment, I saw who Sasuke truly was: a scared little boy who had anything and everything taken from him. One blonde boy had broken his barriers down by sheer force and became his friend, and now Itachi was trying to take it away from him again.

"Let's go." I said, and he took off with me close behind. All the while, my mind racked itself for the reason Itachi would do this. Sepi and I had talked to him, discussed with him why he couldn't use the Tsukuyomi on Sasuke, so why…?

He was the first person, and hopefully the _only_ person, to know how much Sepi and I knew. We said the Sage of Six Paths appeared to Team 6 in a weird, collective dream, and showed us the future we were doomed to have if the world continued on its current course, so why…?

 _There's got to be more to this! Think!_

Itachi was a genius. He had believed us and agreed to Sepi's plan of changing the future for the better. So why was he attacking the Leaf to draw Sasuke out?

 _You're a Hatake, dammit! Think!_

There simply wasn't enough time to figure out Itachi's reasonings. Right now, Kakashi was in the hospital and Naruto was in danger. I had to stop this.

"Sasuke, enter in from the north side of the hotel Naruto is staying in. I'll enter from the south. Do your best long-range jutsu, and we'll make it a combo. Jiraiya has to be around somewhere, so we just need to hold out until he arrives."

"He'll kill Naruto."

I glanced at Sasuke. Something was...different. He was less concerned about Itachi and more concerned about his friend. I allowed myself a small smile.

 _We actually CAN change the future…_

"That won't happen." I replied. "Trust me on this one."

He nodded, a short, jerky motion.

"Good, now, here's the plan…"

... ... ...

Itachi and Kisame stood at Naruto's door as the boy in question stared up at them in shock and fear.

Kisame chuckled and was opening his mouth to speak when two raging fireballs blasted at them from either end of the hallway. Itachi dodged forward, leaping inside Naruto's room and yanking the boy out of danger, while Kisame leapt backwards into the adjoining hallway, rapidly forming a water-style technique to cancel out the fireballs.

A grey-haired Genin with a mask covering the lower portion of his face darted around the corner, tanto in hand, as...Itachi's little brother?...darted into Naruto's room.

Kisame smirked. "You are a foolish brat." He said while effortlessly blocking the tanto that the boy used, bits of metal flying from said blade as it collided with Samehada.

He blinked in surprise as the boy's onyx eyes mutated into the Sharingan. "I know."

... ... ...

 _Stupid._ I stabbed at Kisame, and his block broke my tanto's tip.

 _Dumb._ I slashed again, my blade breaking on contact.

 _Childish!_ I leapt backwards, hands flowing through the seals. "Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" I breathed an inferno at Kisame, who simply used Samehada to absorb the attack, looking bored.

"You must really be stupid." Kisame said. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Yes." I stated flatly, pulling two kunai out.

His look melded into serious curiosity. "Oh really? Then do you know who I am?"

"Kisame Hokigashi, ex-ANBU of the Hidden Mist, known as the Tailless Tailed Beast, now in the Akatsuki, partnered with Itachi Uchiha. You bear Samehada, which devours chakra, and using water-style you can create a massive bubble of water and fuse with Samehada. You are ranked S-class missing nin for a well-deserved reason, as few can even survive and encounter with you."

"Hmm…"

I waited, trying not to shake in fear. I knew I was outmatched in every way, but I was banking on the fact that Kisame would talk for awhile, long enough for Jiraiya to get here. After that, Kisame would get serious and run down anyone in his way, and, well...Let's be honest, I was trying not to think about that.

"How do you know so much, kid?"

 _Good, I can still stall him._

I shrugged. "That information isn't really a secret if you get your hands on a Bingo Book."

He pointed Samehada at me. "One: How do you know about the fusion with Samehada, and two, how do you have the Sharingan? It was my understanding that Itachi and his whelp of a brother were the only remaining Uchiha."

"Illicit affair."

"Ah. Now, answer my first question."

As long as I could keep him curious, I could stall for time.

"Zabuza Momochi. He trained me a bit with a blade, teaching me the basics. He also provided me with quite a bit of information on the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Motivational material."

Kisame lowered Samehada and cocked his head. "Why?"

"He owed someone I was related to a favor."

He shrugged and lifted Samehada. "Fair enough. Ready to die?"

I sighed. "Honestly? No. But I made a promise, both to others and myself, that I would give my life to protect them. I just didn't expect it to be so soon."

"You could always walk away, brat. We're just here for the jinchuriki."

My eyes narrowed. "His. Name. Is. Naruto."

"Whatev-"

I launched the kunai at Kisama, smirking as I activated the explosive tags hidden in the hilt, courtesy of Sepi and her wild idea-planning sessions. "Katsu!" I yelled detonating them.

When the smoke cleared, my heart dropped. Bits of metal were everywhere, but Kisame was still standing, and he looked _pissed_.

"Alright brat, playtime's over."

I couldn't help myself. "Aww, but it was so fun! One question though."

His eyes narrowed. "What?"

I moved to a fighting position, readying my chakra. "Samehada is awful big. Compensating for something?"

He growled.

I closed my eyes. _Shit._

Kisame moved, and my eyes flashed open. I poured as much chakra into my eyes and limbs as I dared, and when Kisame struck, I leapt to the side and forward, not back like he was expecting. Still, he was fast to react, and swung Samehada horizontally at me. I wasn't far enough down the hallway, and it was all I could do not to scream in agony as Samehada's sharp scales tore through my back muscles. It was a shallow wound, but painful as hell, and I turned as I slid backwards, forcing my hands through handsigns.

"Lightning style: Burning dragon jutsu!"

I had refined my unique chakra into a lethal level, where the fire and lightning were truly one, not just racing around each other. I hadn't used it in my match against Jeki because it was just to much of a draw on my chakra. One of my dragons and I through two-thirds of my reserves. It was a trade-off that greatly limited how much I could use my jutsu, but on the other hand, it greatly increased the damage, and at this range, there was no way Kisame could dodge.

He didn't try.

Even as my jutsu crashed into him, he leapt through it, Samehada healing the damage I did almost as fast as it was done, and the scaled sword crashed into my stomach, teeth first.

"Go to hell, kid."

I barely had enough time to scream in agony before he threw me through the wall and into the creek below.

 _Worth it!_


	40. Ticking clock

*AN: _Oh, come on, you guys didn't_ really _think that Ibukai had plot armor on, did you? I thought I proved that point with the Invasion XD Alright. First off, thank you to everyone who is reading this story. You guys have made it so I have almost 2.5k views on this. I literally did a happy jig when I saw that. To those who have left me reveiws: I'm really glad you're enjoying this story. To address the matter of Ibukai's unique lightning chakra...well, I guess I'll go ahead and write an Omake for that so I can explain everything about it. I'll do that within the next few weeks. So, yea, thank you to everyone that is reading and enjoying this! I_ promise _that even though it gets dark at times, it's necessary for each person, because they all learn a lesson from it. It will get better and funnier, I promise.*_

Sasuke thought they had won. He had darted in, lashed out with the Chidori at Itachi, and darted out the window, dragging Naruto along. He hadn't even felt it when Itachi broke his arm in an attempt to stop him. So, how?...

In retrospect, now he understood. Itachi hadn't been there to kidnap Naruto. If he was, he would have chased Sasuke down instead of letting him escape. No, this was about how much Itachi could take from him.

He figured that out when Jiraiya had, after Itachi and his partner escaped, fished Ibukai's still body from the bloody water he was in. The masked boy was barely alive and in intensive care at the hospital, in the same room as Kakashi, who had attacked Itachi in a murderous rage, and who Itachi turned his Mangekyou Sharingan against.

And Ibukai had _known._

He had known they weren't there for Naruto. He had sent Sasuke to get Naruto out of there, and he had taken on the most dangerous opponent, the one that wouldn't hold back, on by himself with no backup close enough to save him. The medics had informed Sasuke that Ibukai would die. His organs had been shredded, his lungs had been filled with water, and his back had been sliced to ribbons. There was simply too much damage to fix. Ibukai had only a matter of time before he perished, and all the medics could do was delay the inevitable.

"Are you sure about this, kid?" Jiraiya asked.

Sasuke glared at him. "Are we going?"

Jiraiya had informed him that the Sannin and Naruto were going to go get Tsunade, and Sasuke had insisted in coming along. There was no way in hell he was losing his family again.

"I'm coming too."

The small group turned to see Sepi walking towards them, bag hung over a shoulder and a grim expression on her face. "I already have permission from Lord Hokage, so suck it up and deal with it, Jiraiya-sama."

Jiraiya sighed. "At least you respect my title. Alright, let's go before anybody else decides to show up."

With one last look over their shoulder, the group of four departed in hopes of finding Tsunade. While Jiraiya was thinking about how they were going to bring her back, the other three's minds were on something else, or someone else, to be precise. Not even Naruto was talking, even though he'd usually be begging Jiraiya to teach him a new jutsu. He was thinking of the boy that decided to be his friend and invite him home for ramen, and the times that Ibukai and Sepi stuck up for him when no one else would. Iruka-sensei was the first to acknowledge him for Naruto and not the nine-tails, but Ibukai was the first to help him up when he was down.

 _He had helped a girl with pale eyes who was being bullied by three guys. However, he had been knocked to the ground, barely conscious, and the boys were busy amusing themselves by trying to destroy his red scarf, a gift from old man Hokage for his birthday._

 _"Hey!"_

 _The three boys turned to see an angry kid with grey hair walking forward, hands curled in tiny fists._

 _The leader of the small gang stepped forward with a cocky smirk on his face. "Why don't you get lo-"_

 _BAM!_

 _The new arrival punched him across the face before turning slightly and kicking the next boy between the legs. The third one reacted, albeit slowly, and threw a clumsy punch at the kid who just downed the two of his friends. A duck and chop to the back of the head later, and the fight was over._

 _"Hey, you guys okay?" The new kid asked, helping Naruto sit up._

 _"Er…yea! Believe it!"_

 _"Y-yes. T-thank you."_

 _"Ah, don't mention it." The boy replied with a grin, waving off the girl's thanks. "I'm Ibukai, by the way."_

 _"H-Hinata."_

 _"I'm Naruto, and I'm the future Hokage! Believe it!"_

 _Ibukai grinned and Hinata gave a small smile at Naruto's words before Ibukai looked at the both of them. "So...you guys wanna play?"_

 _"Yea!"_

 _"S-sure."_

 _"Okay! Tag, you're it, Naruto!"_

And now that boy was in the hospital, dying, because he had protected Naruto again. The normally cheerful blonde curled his fists. When was he going to be strong enough to protect others for a change, instead of always having them rely on them to protect him?

Sasuke was thinking about how shell-shocked he had been when Ibukai had come to his apartment, scroll in hand, to explain to Sasuke that he was no longer alone. Sasuke had dropped the tomato he had been about to eat, ignoring it in favor of listening to Ibukai's story. Ibukai had been hesitant at first, laying the details out piece by piece. He didn't show it outwardly, but he was _happy_. For the first time since the Massacre, he had family. Now, that family lay dying, because Sasuke, like before, was too weak.

Sepi's thoughts were on the day of the Invasion, when she had to tell Ibukai he couldn't protect the Hokage.

 _"Am I really that weak in your eyes?" He asked quietly. "Do you really trust me that little?"_

 _"Please, Ibukai, just..go." She said, looking at the ground._

 _The pain and anger in his eyes were evident, and Sepi cringed as he walked away, katana in hand. She almost called him back, but turned instead to go notify the hidden ANBU that it was time to strike. She unsealed her blank Fox mask, placing it on her face and sealing it there with chakra._

 _"I'm sorry, Ibukai." She whispered before leaping away._

In her opinion, he should have made Chuunin. The only reason he didn't was because the ANBU wanted to see how he'd react to failure, to see what would happen when what he knew he deserved was denied to him.

They hadn't expected the loss of Toru and Shena. Still, they adopted a wait-and-see policy, to see if the boy would recover. Instead, he had sacrificed himself in a desperate gamble to buy time for Sasuke and Naruto.

 _"I'm going to help find Tsunade." She said, throwing the doors of the Hokage's office open and addressing Lord Third and her commander, ANBU Boar with that statement._

 _Boar was about to tell her to show respect, mind her place, blah blah blah, authority stuff, when Hiruzen cut him off._

 _"Very well. You will leave immediately. They should still be at the village gates right about now."_

 _"Lord Hokage!" Boar protested. "She's just a trainee!"_

 _"Your point, Boar-san?" The Hokage replied with a smile and a polite voice, but his eyes were hard. Boar sighed._

 _"Good luck, Trainee Fox." He said reluctantly._

She readjusted her bag, mouth drawn in a determined line. _I'll make it up to you, Ibukai._ She swore silently.


	41. Sasuke's seal

*AN: _Holy mother of-! Honestly, I wasn't expecting so many people to be liking this story. Someone brought up the excellent point that, before I started this arc, I should have provided more information. To clear a couple things up: Ibukai has always had the protective tenancies that made him take on an S-class missing nin that he knew he was going to lose against. This was shown in the flashbacks when he first met Naruto and Hinata. Second: Before his ass was thoroughly kicked by Kisame, he was feeling inadequate, more than anything. His greatest desire is to protect those he loves, and Sepi inadvertently hurt him by unconsciously making it seem like he was not needed. It wasn't her intention, as she was just trying to do what Team 6 had decided to do in the first place: change the world for the better. This, however, will be further explained in later chapters. For now, please enjoy the next chapter!*_

"Alright, this looks like a good spot." Jiraiya announced, dropping his bag under a tree overlooking a grassy clearing in the forest. Sasuke, Sepi, and Naruto exchanged glances.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, confused. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for Tsunade?"

"The dobe is right. We should move on."

"Of course I'm-...WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!"

"Knock it off, all of you." Jiraiya said, irritated, before realizing Sepi hadn't said anything. A glance revealed her to be unpacking her sealing supplies before looking up at him expectantly. Jiraiya sighed. "Ibukai has time. Not a lot, but enough so that we can ensure you three learn something on this trip. Sasuke, I'm going to seal your mark. Kakashi did a good job, but it was a temporary fix. Surely you've noticed it flare up when you use too much chakra?" At Sasuke's reluctant nod, he continued. "That's because your body is trying to use it to prevent chakra exhaustion."

"Then why don't I?" Sasuke asked angrily. "It's power, isn't it?"

Jiraiya sat down patiently. "Yes and no. It's nature chakra, wild and unstable to those who don't know how to use it. If you wish, I can teach both you and Naruto the proper way to use nature chakra, which is much more powerful that what that mark can achieve, even though it takes longer to master. The main problem with that mark is that, because of nature chakra's wild and volatile state, it slowly twists your mind, and so subtly that you don't realize it. It causes you to become much more aggressive and twists you into someone that the you right now wouldn't recognize."

Sasuke nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. You seal it away, then what?"

Jiraiya smiled, but it was more in relief than anything. In truth, he wasn't sure how the Uchiha would feel about the potential source of power that the curse mark had being taken from him by Jiraiya. He was taking it far better than the Sage dared hope.

"Then, I'll teach both you and Naruto a new jutsu."

"What about teaching me to use nature chakra?" Sasuke snapped, and Jiraiya held up his hands in a calming gesture.

"That takes a very long time, Sasuke. We'll get started after we get your cousin healed up."

Sasuke sat down with a _hn._

Jiraiya pulled out his own sealing supplies. "Naruto, while we're doing this, I'm going to give you a chakra-control exercise." He formed a shadow clone, who headed off with the energetic blonde, before unrolling a scroll and picking up his brush. "Now, to counter that curse mark…"

... ... ...

"Whaddya mean, form shadow clones?"

Jiraiya's shadow clone sighed. "Naruto, have you not realized that when a shadow clone is destroyed, its memories are transferred back to you?"

Naruto hopped up and down excitedly. "Really?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Yes. It will speed up your training greatly."

Naruto tilted his head, confused. "How?"

Jiraiya smacked him on the top of the head. "Just form the clones, kid. Now, pay attention to this." He held up a leaf, proceeding to explain the leaf cutting exercise.

*AN: I'm really lazy, so I'm not writing down an exercise we all know. Onward!*

"Now, have your shadow clones do the exercise as well." Jiraiya explained patiently. "When you dismiss them, you'll gain their memories."

"..." Naruto just looked at him with a confused expression on his face, and Jiraiya sighed.

"When they go poof, you'll learn what they learned."

"Oh. Why didn't cha say so in the first place, Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya resisted the urge to smack the blonde in front of him. "Just do it."

... ... ...

The real Jiraiya was currently busy drawing up an enormous seal, and Sasuke was looking at it warily.

"Why so big?" He asked, suspicious. He knew that Kakashi's seal was massive, but still. The seal Jiraiya was making was at least four times the size!

"That's what she said." Sepi piped up, earning a short bark of laughter from Jiraiya and a glare from Sasuke.

She grinned in response until Sasuke gave up and shook his head.

Jiraiya chuckled as he made some final touches. "When your own chakra gets low, then the curse mark struggles to break free and flood your depleted chakra coils with _very_ unstable nature chakra. I need to seal it off completely, otherwise it will limit your training, as well as the psychological factors."

Sasuke looked up sharply. "What?"

Jiraiya stepped back with a satisfied nod before answering Sasuke's question. "Like I said before, nature chakra, if it isn't controlled properly, is dangerous and volatile. Because of the Curse Mark that Orochimaru designed, the nature chakra in your body is twisted to the point where it almost isn't recognizable. It is designed to trigger aggressiveness, to mess with your head, until all you want to do is destroy whatever is in front of you. You'd become unsatisfied with the fact that you're not seeming to progress much when, in reality, you're progressing rapidly. My guess is that Orochimaru was counting on it to make you want more power, and who better to gain it from than the being who placed this apparent boon on you? You'd think you were making your own decisions when, in reality, you were being used like a puppet, and Orochimaru would be the puppetmaster."

Sasuke glared and sat down in the middle of the seal. He _hated_ being controlled. "Do it, then." He said, gritting his teeth. "I'll defeat that man by my own strength."

Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "Then let us begin."

... ... ...

 _I looked around the dark landscape that surrounded me. A full moon was barely rising, and the gentle hills were covered in long, grey-colored grass._

 _I tried to speak, but no words came out. It felt as if I was floating, paralyzed, and even though the grass moved as if a gentle wind was blowing, I felt nothing._

 _'No...this isn't right.' I thought. 'Did...I…? No. I can't be dead. I...can't…'_

 _I tried moving my arms. Nothing. I was...tired. So tired. All I had to do...was close my eyes…_

 _'Not. Yet. I can't die yet.'_

 _Just...a little...longer…_

 ** _Why._**

 _I froze. That...wasn't my voice._

 ** _Why do you struggle? Just let go._**

 _'I...can't. I can't give up until the end.'_

 ** _Honestly, the way you struggle. It's adorable. However, have it your way. I have time to kill anyways. Why can't you give up?_**

 _People...will die if I do._

 ** _Like Lord Third did? Please. If your existence was so important, then why didn't you change anything about the invasion. Your 'friend' Sepi did all the work. She didn't expect you to be able to do anything._**

 _Liar. I don't believe you. I won't!_

 ** _If you want to lie to yourself, go ahead, BUT QUIT LYING TO ME! I AM YOU! Who figured out that she didn't expect you to have an active part in the Invasion? You did!_**

 _A sigh. **Until you accept the fact that you can't do anything as you are right now, you will never grow stronger. To truly change something, you need to accept things the way they are first. View all possible aspects of a situation. Then, choose your path. Sepi has already proved she won't rely on you, so you can't rely on her.**_

 _The voice was finally silent, and I drifted away in the current._


	42. Tsunade of the Sannin!

*AN: _Well, finals are over, so yay! I decided to celebrate by updating early. Don't worry, since this is a short chapter, I'll be updating on Monday as usual. However, right now I want to give everyone who has been supporting me so far a big shout-out. All my fans, those of you who drop by and leave reviews, and everyone who is enjoying this story, really. Also, thanks to my cousin Lauren for letting me manipulate her character here to my heart's desire. Considering she's in a fanfiction and is gonna get shipped with her anime crush, I don't think she minds too much. Lastly...enjoy!*_

Sepi scoffed as she looked at the remains of the castle. "Honestly. You would think that a medic would have a better grip on their emotions."

The corner of Jiraiya's mouth twitched upwards as he directed the group into town. "Tsunade was always a bit of a hothead." He replied. "Something must have gotten her pissed, though."

"Your old friend, the Pedosnake?"

Jiraiya glanced at Sepi. "One of these days, you need to tell me how you came up with that name."

Sepi's reply was interrupted by cursing, as Naruto's attempt at popping the rubber ball met another dismal failure.

"Keep it down, Dobe!" Sasuke almost shouted. He was busy with his own chakra control exercises, which was to channel lightning chakra into two metal rods Jiraiya had given him. The idea was to spark lightning from one to the other, creating a solid line of chakra, before moving the rods farther away and trying again. The rods deliberately dampened the chakra, so he was having a tough time of it, which wasn't helped by Naruto's very loud failures.

"What did you call me, Teme?!"

Sepi hit them both over the back of the head. "Enough, you two! Honestly, Sakura should hit both of you more! Now shut up!"

Jiraiya just shook his head. "What did I get myself into?"

... ... ...

"Aright, this looks like a good spot for dinner." Jiraiya said, pleased with himself.

"Ero-sensei, we can't go in there! We're minors!"

"For once, the dobe is actually right."

"Of course I'm- What did you call me?!"

Sepi sighed. "You guys do realize that we're officially adults when we become Genin, right? They think that since we're old enough to kill people, we're old enough to drink."

Jiraiya shot her a grateful gaze and ushered them inside. "That's right. Now shut up and be grateful for free food."

"Hn."

"What he said." Naruto muttered.

"Well, well. Who do we have here?" A voice said, and Jiraiya turned to see Tsunade, hips cocked, hand on her hips. "Jiraiya. What are you doing, escorting a pack of brats?"

Jiraiya was about to reply when Sepi tugged on his sleeve and whispered something in his ear. He slowly grew red, and then burst out laughing. Sasuke and Naruto looked confused until Sepi whispered in their ears, and then Naruto started laughing as well, holding his stomach while trying to point at Tsunade. Sasuke tried to hide his laughter behind a fake coughing fit, but nobody was fooled.

"T-Tsunade-sama?" A younger woman, holding a pig and peering out from behind Tsunade, gazed with wide eyes at the three laughing guys and the young blonde girl who was smirking and not looking apologetic in the least.

"What did you say to them, brat?" Tsunade growled.

"I just asked if you were a fruit farmer." Came the calm reply.

Tsunade looked confused. "What?"

Sepi smirked and dropped the punchline. "Because you seem to be growing melons."

For a moment, a vein in Tsunade's head twitched, and she seemed ready to punch Sepi into the next lifetime. Then, a grin slowly appeared, and she walked forward, looping an arm around Sepi's shoulders and dragging her towards a booth. "I like ya, kid. Have you tried this place's sake before?"

... ... ...

 _'Who are you?'_

 ** _I am you. Or, rather, the side you've repressed. The feelings, the memories. A last resort, keeping your mind intact, despite everything. Slowly, the repressed memories have come loose, and are leaking into your mind. During times of extreme trauma, they all rushed upon you at once, which is why your Sharingan is fully mature, skipping the second stage of two Tomoe completely._**

 _'...When did that happen?'_

 ** _You tell me._**

 _I would have winced at the pain that rushed into me, had I been able to. Searing, blinding, hot pain._

 _'Oh.'_

 ** _Yes._**

 _'So...why are you here?'_

 ** _Technically, you came here when you decided to take on an S-class criminal BY YOURSELF!_**

 _'Hey! It's not like I had another option! I had to make sure Sasuke escaped, and Kisame wouldn't have given up very easy on chasing him down. It was our only chance!'_

 ** _Well, good job. Now, you're dying, and there's not a damn thing you or I can do about it._**

 _'...I know…'_


	43. A memory?

*AN: _Behold! The meeting with the...Slug Sannin? I guess? Why couldn't there be a wolf Sannin or something like that? Anyways, here we go, continuing onto the Tsunade retrieval arc!*_

The table was silent as Jiraiya dropped the bomb of why they were there.

"Lord Third wants you to return and become Hokage."

"Eh?!" Naruto's yell made Sasuke wince, but he was of the same mind. Screw the Hokage, there were two people who he needed healed immediately.

"Whaddya mean, become the Hokage?! I thought we were here so the old grandma could come heal Ibukai and Kakashi-sensei!"

He was ignored as Tsunade and Jiraiya locked eyes. Tsunade slowly pulled out a deck of cards and handed them to Jiraiya to shuffle. They remained silent as he did so, and it wasn't until Tsunade was looking at her cards that she spoke.

"Hokage, huh? That's a fool's job."

She ignored Naruto's outraged look. "Only fools ever choose to become Hokage. Orochimaru was here, you know. Told me how he almost destroyed the village. Bragged, is more like it, how he almost killed Sensei and destroyed the village."

"But he didn't."

Everyone looked at Sepi, surprise written on their faces as she carefully set aside her cup of sake and leaned forward. "Orochimaru didn't destroy the village. He was stopped, because of a 'fool.' I guess what your meaning is that it's foolish to live for someone other than yourself? Makes you pretty damn wise, doesn't it?"

Everyone stared at her in shock. In retrospect, Sepi realized it was really stupid to open her mouth. After all, this was supposed to be the start of the bonding between Tsunade and Naruto. At that moment, though, she simply didn't give a fuck.

She raised a finger and jabbed it in the Sannin's direction. "You, oh great and mighty healer, Sannin of the Leaf? Pfft. When a little regret became too much, you ran. Do you wanna know how many people died in the Third Great Ninja War? Do ya? Wanna know how many lives could have been spared if you and the rest of the damn Sannin had done your jobs? But, nah, why would you do that? Better to run away and hide. Let's face it, Tsunade," she fairly spat out the name, "no one of this generation even knows who the Sannin are. That's because you guys took off and ran. Hell, I'm still pissed at Jiraiya for abandoning his responsibilities, but at least he had a fucking spy network going! He still dropped by and did his level best to help those he was responsible for. You, ya bitch, what did you do? Where have you been for the past few fucking decades?! Gambling and drinking your money away, that's for damn sure!"

"You'd better shut up, girl." Tsunade snapped, setting down her cards and looking ready to punch Sepi through the wall.

"Make me!" Sepi replied, jutting her chin forward. "As far as I'm concerned, you're no better than a fucking missing nin!"

"That's enough, Sepi Yamanaka." Jiraiya said calmly, setting down his cards as well. With a huff, Sepi got out of her seat, and, swaying like all hell, attempted to head for the door. She almost fell, but Sasuke got up quick enough to catch her. Guiding her arm around his neck, he helped her walk out the door.

As for Tsunade…

She looked flat-out shocked. No one, no one, had ever questioned her right to be a Sannin, or her status as a Leaf shinobi. Ever. It just didn't happen.

Naruto calmly got up to follow his friends. "Old lady, I don't know who you are," he said, "and maybe being the Hokage is a fool's job that you don't want. But, unlike you, being Hokage...is my dream! I'll protect my friends, and I'll never, _ever_ let my comrades die!"

With that declaration, he walked away, head held up high.

Tsunade sat, frozen. _Those….damn...brats!_

Jiraiya signalled for some more sake.

... ... ...

 _'What are you doing?' The mindscape around me was changing, forming into something different._

 _ **Showing you what you have forgotten. Why you have your eyes, and when you were blessed with them.**_

 _'Cursed is more like it.'_

 ** _Either way, they are your birthright, and I refuse to watch you die simply because you won't accept the strength bestowed upon you, gifted to you by the suffering of generations. That power is your birthright, your legacy._**

 _'I don't want that power! I never did!'_

 ** _SILENCE! It's time you grow up!_**

... ... ...

I blinked. I...was standing in a house in the Uchiha District. Looking down at my body, I freaked the fuck out. I was transparent.

 **Relax. This is a memory.**

 _Great...I was hoping I had left you behind._

I could almost hear the scoffing laugh.

 **Not a chance.**

I saw a young boy with grey hair smiling as he walked in the door, holding the hand of...Shisui Uchiha?

 _That...can't be…_

 **It is. Your memory of when you were young.**

 _How is this possible?_

 **It simply is.**

"You did good today!" Shisui said, beaming down at...me, I guess.

The younger me grinned up at him. Sage of Six Paths, I couldn't have been more than three years old.

"Do I getta move on ta da shurukan next? I hitted the twee with da pebbles!"

He laughed, a gentle, relaxing sound. "It's pronounced shur-i-ken. And we'll talk to Aiko and see, alright?"

"Awight!"

The scene changed to what I assumed to be later that day. Aiko, Shisui, Itachi, a very young Sasuke, and I were all sitting in the dining room. Well, kneeling next to a low table, anyways. To be completely accurate, the young me was kneeling, and I was standing next to him. As they chatted while they ate, I stood across from Aiko, kneeling down so I could look at her face.

 _Mom…_

I studied her face, committing every aspect to my memory. Her voice, her laugh, her smile. All from the woman I never knew.

"As I was saying, I think Ibukai can start with Sasuke in learning Shuriken Jutsu." Shisui said with a smile. "He has channeling chakra down with the pebbles."

Aiko smiled and turned towards younger me. "Is that so?"

He smiled. "Yep! I does the swish and da pebble goes flyin' and WHACK! Hits da twee!"

That got a laugh out of Shisui and Aiko and a small smile out of Itachi. The conversation went onto asking Sasuke how his day went, to talking about tomatoes, (must be an Uchiha thing) and I became aware that the light around me was dimming and the picture was fading. With a sigh, I closed my eyes as the now-familiar sensation of weightlessness set in.

 _...Mom…_

 _I don't care about the Massacre. I don't care about the planned Coup. Why just...couldn't you have stayed here? Why do I have to learn about you though memories?_

 _...And where are you now?_

*AN: _Ba dun tsh! Alright, to clear one thing up: Hiruzen never used the Reaper Seal, aka Death Soul Reaper Jutsu, on Orochimaru. This was because the Leaf was ready for the Invasion and had backup ANBU units in place, despite the mysterious reinforcements from the unknown village. As a result, Orochimaru was beaten back and had no need for Tsunade to heal his arms. He just stopped by to brag to her because he's an arrogant asshole that needs to die a couple more times before I'm truly satisfied.*_


	44. A bet to save a life

*AN _: Sorry that I didn't update yesterday, guys. I didn't have internet access- Okay never mind that is a lie. I forgot to :/ So, here's the next chapter, yea? Enjoy! Oh, and I'm renaming all the chapters so we don't have to deal with a generic 'Chapter 42' title.*_

Sepi woke up with a hangover that made her head feel like a tailed beast bomb had been set off in it.

"Finally awake, huh?"

She looked up to see a smirking Tsunade sitting at a table with Jiraiya, playing cards as they waited for the trio to wake up, so she said the first thing on her mind:

"My head hurts."

Tried to say it, anyways. It came out as more of a croak.

Naruto was….somewhere?...and Sasuke was watching Tsunade, growing more irritated by the moment. Jiraiya seemed more amused by this fact than anything. He got up and offered Sepi something to drink, which she chugged down eagerly, surprised to find it tasted much like juice, but was relieving her headache at an astonishing rate.

"What the fuck?" She asked, looking at it.

He took the cup back, smiling. "My own invention. It rapidly counters the effects of a hangover."

"You're a saint." She said in the most heartfelt manner possible, which earned her a laugh from the white-haired Sannin.

"Enough." Sasuke said, still glaring. "You haven't heard what they've decided."

Sepi's eyes narrowed. "Oh?"

Tsunade sat back in her chair with a smirk. "While you were passed out last night, Jiraiya and I came up with a bet. Naruto finishes the Rasengan, emo-boy over there creates a new version of the Chidori and perfects it, and you learn and demonstrate a new jutsu, A-rank or higher, in two weeks. You do this, I come back to the village."

"And if we don't?" Sepi asked, her face carefully blank.

Tsunade smirks. "Jiraiya pays off my debts, and you all go back to the village. It won't matter, since none of you are going to succeed."

Sepi looked at Sasuke. "He's training, isn't he?"

Sasuke nodded.

"You have any idea what you're going to do?"

His eyes lost focus for a moment before they snapped back to the present and he met Sepi's gaze again.

"Yes."

"Then let's get to it. Pervy Sage, time to teach me a jutsu!"

Tsunade blinked in surprise. She expected a rant about how unfair her bet was, not this steely determination.

 _So this is how they act when their friend's life is on the line. Maybe there's something to this new generation, after all._

... ... ...

 ** _WAKE UP!_**

 _My eyes blinked open as I gazed around the dark mindscape once again. I was feeling...really tired._

 _'What is it now?'_

 ** _YOU MORON! You fall asleep now, you're never waking up again!_**

 _Must...stay...awake…_

 _'Why...are you...here...anyways?'_

 _A sigh. **Your mind has created a series of walls, after trauma in your life. They've begun breaking down recently, and unless you deal with them before the walls break, they'll flood into your mind all at once and possibly break it, this time permanently.**_

 _I paused. 'Wait...trauma? What trauma?'_

 ** _Oh, I don't know, maybe something like your parents dying in front of you? Or the fact that you went through the Massacre?_**

 _'...What?'_

 ** _This is exactly what I'm talking about. Your mind has created barriers to keep these memories from breaking your mind. You may or may not have realized this, but your Sharingan was active, which means each moment of terror and helplessness was recorded in crystal-clear clarity. We need to...take them apart in the reverse order they were created, for lack of a better term. Each time, the pain will add onto itself, just as sharp as the first time._**

 _'Why? I don't understand. Why wouldn't I get used to it?'_

 _ **This is your MIND. There is no way for a Shinobi to lessen the pain of their emotions in their subconsciousness.**_

 _'...Fuck.'_

 ** _Ready to begin?_**

 _'Do I have a choice?'_

 _The voice sounded a bit different this time. A little older, a little wiser._

 ** _You always have a choice. It may take multiple attempts to...accept what happened. At the very least, you need to examine these memories fully in order to deal with them, and the backlash when the walls finally break._**

 _'Terrific. What are the walls?'_

 ** _Three. The first is when the Invasion occured. The second was indirectly created when you...ran into the tree. The third...was after the Massacre._**

 _'Fuck me. Alright...begin.'_

 ** _It will be like last time you viewed a memory, only you'll be...pulled along by yourself in the memory._**

 _... ... ..._

I blinked against the bright light, and my stomach dropped as I recognized the scene before me. The...previous me?...was fighting against a group of the unknown shinobi. A Sound nin was already on the ground, his own kunai in his ribs, and my sword was flashing as I dodged this way and that way, blocking the blows raining down on me, trying to give the civilian time to escape.

 **Whatever you do, do NOT react when...certain things occur.**

 _Relax. I saw their deaths. It will hurt, but I already accepted it._

 **...That's not what I'm talking about.**

I raised an eyebrow but continued watching. My previous self's Sharingan was active, and soon three more joined the dead on the ground. They were...weak, for shinobi that were supposed to attack one of the strongest hidden villages.

A buzz of danger came ringing in the back of my head, and the Ibukai fighting felt it too. I remembered that...I had ignored it because I needed to concentrate on the fight at hand, but now, the time slowed to a stop. It was really weird, being able to walk around the battlefield when it was frozen in time. I stepped around a frozen kunai and walked to the middle of the fight.

 **Think. What's wrong here? Why did you ignore the buzz of warning, telling you something was off?**

I considered it. "I needed to concentrate on not dying at that moment. I confirmed it wasn't a Genjutsu, so I figured I needed to kill those shinobi and get to Mom."

 **So what was the danger from?**

I continued my study of the battlefield. Finally, I sighed.

"I don't know."

 **THINK, dammit! You won't learn anything if I just tell you the answers!**

I sighed and sat down next to the first shinobi I killed. It was rather ironic, the fact that I killed him with his…

...own kunai…

I narrowed my eyes. Something...was off about this fight.

"Can you rewind it? And, play it in slow-motion?"

He did, and I watched the civilians face when we rounded the corner. She, at least, had a genuine reaction. Fear and surprise, and the haste to get away from the fighting…

"She isn't what the problem is…" I finally concluded when she was out of sight.

 **Indeed. What is?**

"Start it over."

I watched the enemies' reactions. Nothing...was off. Surprise when I came around the corner, the desire to kill me, the irritation when they couldn't, the fear when instead I killed them…

"Again."

Nothing.

"Again!"

Still nothing.

"AGAIN!"

 _There!_

"FREEZE IT!"

It clicked in my brain. Nothing was off. The fight was genuine. I had overpowered five enemy shinobi and chased the final one down. I had surprised and killed one right off the bat, despite us reacting at the same time.

I had killed them all.

When I was low on chakra and still a Genin.

 **You found it.**

"How the fuck was I able to survive that? Those guys couldn't have been more than Genin level! Who sent them to attack a village?!"

 **Why did they do it?**

I huffed in annoyance. "I don't know."

 **Kakashi can keep up with a Nara in terms of intelligence and problem solving. Figure. It. Out.**

I sat down and closed my eyes, lining all the pieces out in my mind.

 _...Why send guys who couldn't kill me in a five-to-one fight to attack a fucking village?_

 _...They weren't here to attack the village…_

My eyes opened in shock. They weren't here to attack the Leaf! They were from the enemy force, however, which meant they were after something else.

 _...But for what?_

 **For what, indeed…**


	45. 2 weeks to learn

*AN: _So...I got bored, so I'm updating again. You're welcome, and hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!*_

Anko found Miko standing next Ibukai's bedside. Ibukai was covered in wiring and tubes, with multiple machines around him, beeping out different statuses. The medics had successfully drained his lungs and repaired the muscle damage, but Ibukai's organs were…

To put it simply, where Samehada had bit him, the organs were drained of chakra and then shredded. To make matters worse, the lungs were constantly refilling, and no medic nin in the village was skilled enough to even make the shredded organs usable. Instead, in a desperate gamble, they had put him in an induced coma, just above a state of death. Constant monitoring was necessary, but it was the only way to even give Ibukai a shot at living long enough for Jiraiya and his team to return with Tsunade.

"They need to hurry." The normally lazy boy said, an unreadable expression on his face. "Ibukai doesn't have long."

"I know." Anko said gently. "I'm sure they'll make it in time."

Miko's gut twisted. _They need to. I...need to talk to him. I need to explain, and apologize. I need to...make it right. Dammit, Sepi, where are you! This is such a drag!_

... ... ...

"Lord Hokage?"

Anko had been keeping watch in Ibukai's room for the past several days, and was surprised when Hiruzen, Inoichi, and two ANBU walked in.

The Hokage bowed slightly. "Anko. I'm sorry for what happened to your student."

She sighed. "I should have been there."

 _Instead, I was on a mission. I failed my students because I wasn't there for them._

He shook his head. "No. You were critical in the success of your mission. Ibukai knew the consequences of his actions, and he still acted to protect his comrades. You raised a fine student."

She managed a small smile. "Thanks, old man. Now, what's going on?"

Hiruzen nodded. "To the task at hand. Ibukai engaged one of the Akatsuki. However, despite the physical damage he received, his mind should be intact. Inoichi wishes to enter his mindscape and talk to him, hopefully gathering more information than what we have."

Anko stood, bristling. "You want to WHAT?! No way in hell! Ibukai is to be left alone! Dammit, you owe him that much!"

Inoichi stepped forward, interrupting whatever response the Hokage had planned. "Anko," he started, "if I had another option, I'd take it. We don't know if he's going to survive long enough for Jiraiya to return with Tsunade. Please. He's a loyal shinobi of the Leaf. Do you really think he would object to us trying to communicate with him if there was even the slightest chance he could tell us something useful?"

She looked about ready to slug Inoichi before she sighed. "I'll be in Kakashi's room." She said, walking out, not even bothering to pretend shoving her shoulder into the ANBU was an accident.

Hiruzen was silent for a moment. Then: "Proceed, Inoichi."

... ... ...

 _Inoichi looked around the dark mindscape he found himself in. It was...not what he expected. There was a large wall in front of him, as tall and long as the eye could see. Jutting out a little from the wall was a huge metal door, not unlike one that would be used for a bunker. Ibukai, however, was nowhere to be found._

 _Inoichi frowned at this. Usually, when you entered a mindscape the way he had, intending to talk to an unconscious individual, they were right where you entered._

 _ **My, my, we have a visitor.**_

 _Inoichi looked up. A figure appeared on top of the massive door, appearing to be made of shadows. It dropped in front of him, causing the Yamanaka to take several steps backwards._

 ** _One of the Leaf graces us with his presence. How...gracious._**

 _It bowed mockingly. This close, Inoichi could see red where the eyes of a human should have been._

 _"What...are you?" Inoichi asked. "Where is Ibukai?"_

 ** _Oh, we are many things, and you are not worthy to hear even the beginning of what we are. Also, I am sooo sorry, but Ibukai is unavailable right now. Please leave a message, and he will get back to you within five to ten business days._**

 _It laughed at its own joke. Inoichi, however, was not so amused._

 _"What have you done?" He asked, firm._

 _It let out an aggressive roar, covering the distance between it and the Jounin in the blink of an eye. Inoichi's eyes widened at the speed, and even more when he saw the line of jagged, black teeth in the creature's mouth._

 **I** _ **did nothing. You Leaf ninja did all the work! I never existed until what you fuckers caused brought me into existence to protect him! See that?!** It threw its arm in the direction of the wall and door. **This is what is protecting his mind from breaking, shattering into a thousand pieces! Pray I succeed in fixing what you fumbling fools broke. Because, if I can't…** It moved closer, its face an inch from Inoichi's. **The Akatsuki will be the least of your worries.**_

 _With that ominous threat, Inoichi was pushed from Ibukai's mind with a force that would have put a tailed beast to shame._

 _... ... ..._

Sasuke closed his eyes.

 _"Hey, you know what would be cool?" Ibukai asked. It was the night that he came to Sasuke's apartment to tell him of his lineage._

 _"Hn?"_

 _"Dual Chidori." Ibukai said with a smirk._

 _Sasuke sat up straighter. That...was an intriguing idea. He and Ibukai spent the next hour hatching different schemes and ideas about how to make the Chidori wielded in both hands._

The idea was simple. Channel chakra to both hands, rather than just one. A few extra handsigns should focus the chakra easier. The problem was…

...Sasuke didn't have a clue in hell what those additional handsigns should be.

He had thirteen days to figure it out.

He sat down and started thinking.

... ... ...

Jiraiya nodded in approval. Sasuke wasn't doing what the moody Uchiha would have done normally: charging straight ahead without a thought. Now, he recognized that he needed to have a clear plan before he acted.

Naruto was doing well. Using his shadow clones, he was much farther along than he would have been otherwise, and, in theory, should have the Rasengan completed by Tsunade's two week deadline.

 _"Why two weeks, Tsunade?" He had asked while the kids were still sleeping._

 _She shrugged. "Why not? It's a lot of pressure. They'll succeed or break. I want to see how they react under stress, when their failure means their comrade dies."_

 _"A tough lesson."_

 _"We've had tougher."_

"Alright, Sepi. Have you decided on the jutsu you want to try?"

She held out a scroll, a smirk on her face. Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly.

"You sure?"

She giggled. "Come on! I want to go choppy choppy with my water chakra!"

He sighed and nodded.

"Alright. Here's the handsigns for Water Style: Water Dragon Severing Blade."

Sepi cackled, and ninja for countries around shivered at the sound.


	46. The first memory

*AN: _Hey you guys! I took a look at the views and everything for my story and...wow. You guys must really like this. Okay, on to updates! I have completed actual chapter titles so we're not dealing with generic "Chapter 40" names and stuff like that. Also, while I am still refining it, this story has been written out in its entirety, so all that is left to do is update until it is complete. After that, I'm going to post the second part of this story, covering Shippuden. I can either put it in as a_ _continuation of this story or a whole new story, but unless you want a story to have like a 2 1/2 year time skip, I'll just put the link to the Shippuden-era story in the final chapter of this story. Oh, and since I have completed writing this, I'll be posting updates on Monday and Friday for you guys. What can I say? I'm impatient to let you guys read the story I have written. Anyways, that's everything. Enjoy!*_

"I don't get why I have to keep watching this memory." I complained.

 **As long as it takes for you find out what broke your mind in the first place. Once that factor is dealt with, then we can move on.**

I cursed the annoying, now constant, voice out and continued to watch the memory. I had pursued the last enemy shinobi into the woods, where I had killed him with a well-placed sword thrust.

A slow, deliberate clapping noise sounded, and I turned to see a Sound shinobi looking down at me from a tree branch.

"Very impressive." He said to the previous me. "Now, come along quietly, or else I'll be forced to do something I really don't want to."

Ibukai scoffed. "Seriously? Fuck you."

"Yep, that's me to a T." I said with a grin.

He shook his head. "Ah, I see your teammate was right. Vulgar, cocky, and entirely exposed. Then again, Naras usually are right about these things."

My blood ran cold.

 _What?_

"What?"

Ibukai blurted the question at the same time that it sprang across my mind, and I slowly felt anger burning in my veins, replacing the shock, as the Sound nin kept talking.

He shook his head. "Naive. In exchange for Lord Orochimaru opening some kind of...portal?...Your teammate spilled everything. The fact the Leaf knew of the Invasion, the defenses he knew that were in place. True, the Sand aiding the Leaf took us off guard, but Lord Orochimaru saw fit to have the additional insurance of the Hidden Silence Village joining our forces. Now, come, or else everything you love will be ripped out of your life."

Ibukai readied himself. "Bullshit."

"My boy, so brave, so naive…." The Sound nin tossed an object carelessly through the air. "It's already begun."

My breath stopped.

It was my copy of Tales of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, and it was soaked in blood.

Ibukai's and my screams of pain and rage sounded at the same time.

... ... ...

The ANBU guarding Ibukai whirled around when the boy's heart rate and breathing rate increased dramatically, causing various machines to screech in warning.

"NURSE!" She roared.

... ... ...

 **CALM. DOWN.**

Tears streamed from my eyes as I dropped to my knees. I hadn't been aware this level of anger, hate, and pain was able to be reached.

I had been proven wrong yet again.

Slowly, the skyline of my mindscape grew blood red, tinting the sky.

"Bastard. You bastard. You fucking bastard. Damn you to hell. Damn you!"

 **ENOUGH!**

The red slowly stopped tinting the sky, dimming but not quite completely fading. A shadow of a creature slowly appeared in front of me.

 **"You need to learn how to control your emotions. Here, the pain digs deeper, the anger burns hotter. If you lose control now, you'll be swept away in the Uchiha's Curse of Hatred. You cannot let that happen."**

I looked up. "...Why do you care?"

I blinked in surprise. Before, my voice had been muffled, almost as if I had been speaking underwater. Now, I could hear myself clearly.

 **"Now do you understand? Each time you see what broke your mind in the first place, your mindscape becomes sharper, more defined. When you break through the last memory, providing your body has been healed, you will return to the physical world. If you lose control before the last wall, you may never return to the physical world. If you lose it after the final memory...well...imagine the state you were just in, multiplied exponentially, only you'd be awake, fully rested and healed, at full chakra and strength, in the middle of the Leaf."**

"...It would be…"

 **"Catastrophic. Your friends would have to kill you in order to save the Leaf. Either that, or you'd kill them first. You wouldn't differentiate between friend and foe."**

I sighed. "I...understand." My fists clenched. "Still...Miko...Why? He's why my parents are dead. I'll kill him. I'll FUCKING KILL HIM!"

 _WHACK._

I blinked in surprise and looked up. The creature had hit me soundly over the top of my head.

 **"You should, I don't know, maybe ask him, when, or should I say if, you ever wake up. You think that he didn't have his reasons? Sure, they were probably poor ones, but I doubt he ever meant for harm to come to your family. Just chill out, 'kay? Oh, and don't rip his heart out when you see him next. At least, not until you've talked to him first."**

... ... ...

The room was tense as the nurse and the ANBU member watched Ibukai's vitals return to normal, seemingly of their own volition. The ANBU then turned and headed out of the room.

"Where are you going?" The nurse asked.

The ANBU paused. "To inform the Hokage." She replied over her shoulder before taking off at a run.

... ... ...

"Four more days." Sepi said as the sun set. She, Naruto, and Sasuke were gathered under a tree, eating the dinner Jiraiya had brought them before heading back to town.

"Hn."

"I'll have the Rasengan down, believe it!" Naruto said with a smirk. "How are you guys doin'?"

"Hn."

"Wow, no kiddin'? Chidori in both hands?"

"Hn."

"No kidding it's difficult. Sounds like it, ya know?"

Sepi looked at Naruto blankly. "Wait, you speak Uchiha?"

"You don't?" He replied with a straight face. They stared at each other for a minute before bursting out laughing. Sasuke smirked and continued eating.

"Hey, the bastard smiled!" Naruto said in shock.

"No he didn't! That was a smirk!" Sepi protested.

"Smile!"

"Smirk!"

"Smile!"

 _Eh, why not?_ Sasuke thought. "Hn."

Naruto pointed towards Sasuke. "See! He agrees with me!"

"H-he did not! You're just making that up!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am! Not!"

"Are! Too!

 _Muahaha._ "Hn."


	47. Again into Ibukai's mind

*AN: _I know, short chapter, and I forgot to post on Friday like I said I would. I'll do a double update now, deal? Sweet. Moving on!*_

 _Inoichi looked around the mindscape again. He didn't miss the fact that the horizon was now tinted red crimson._

 **Annoying pest.** _The creature hissed, forming in front of Inoichi again, causing the Jounin to jerk back involuntarily._ **Must you disturb me again with your meddling?**

 _"What happened?" Inoichi asked._ Maybe if I can just get some information out of this creature, I can figure out why this place now feels so...evil.

 **As if I'd let you know.** _The creature bounded to the top of the door again._ **I thought I made it abundantly clear that you weren't to come back. Yet here you are. Why?**

 _"He's a Leaf shinobi. What happens to him is the concern of Lord Hokage-"_

 **Pfft.**

 _Inoichi blinked. Did that creature just...snicker?_

 **Oh, come on. We both know that old man needs info on the Akatsuki that Ibukai fought. Don't give me that crap about Ibukai being a Leaf shinobi and the Hokage caring. If that were really the case, a helluva lotta shit that has happened wouldn't have happened. Maybe the old man did all he could, but from where I sit, there's a lot of shit he could have prevented.**

 _Inoichi's eyes narrowed. "Like what?"_ This creature...what exactly is it?

 **Hmm…** _The creature leaned forward._ **I don't know...but, from where I...sit, if he really cared for the Leaf, why didn't he kill Orochimaru back when he found out what his student was doing? Why has he let Danzo go as far as that old bastard has? But, hey, I'm just a small, stupid creature that is trying to repair the damage from over a decade of the Leaf's neglect for the people who live it it and having some fun in the process. Ciao!**

 _Again, Inoichi was forced out of Ibukai's mind._

... ... ...

Later, he found himself, Anko, and Ibuki standing in front of the Hokage's desk.

"A creature that claims to be part of his subconscious mind, you say?" The Hokage asked thoughtfully. "One that claims to be protecting him…"

"Tsk." Anko didn't look happy. "What fucking bastard is toying with my student's mind?"

"What's more is it claimed that the Leaf is responsible for the current damage to Ibukai's mind." Inoichi reported. "He was quite adamant about it, in fact."

"That's ridiculous!" Anko snapped. "Whatever that fucking thing is, we need to get it out of there!"

The Hokage sighed. "This situation is more delicate than you realize.. If something indeed has taken control of Ibukai's mind, and it blames the Leaf for the damage done…"

He left the statement hanging in the air, carefully gauging the reaction of the three ninja assembled in front of him. Anko's face paled as she realized the implications of what Hiruzen had just said, Inoichi's face was grim, and Ibuki's face was…

...Curious.

"What do we do, then?" The scarred head of T&I asked.

The Hokage set down his pipe. "I'm ordering ANBU to watch and guard Ibukai 24/7. Also, next time Inoichi enters Ibukai's mind, he is to bring you and Anko into his mind as well. The necessary preparations are in progress as we speak. Understood?"

At their nods, he picked up his pipe again. "Dismissed."

... ... ...

"Think they're ready?"

Tsunade and Jiraiya were sharing a drink at the bar, with Shizune nearby. Jiraiya looked up at Tsunade's question, surprised.

"You sound like you actually hope they'll win."

She sighed and stretched. "Nah. I'm just hoping they'll have made enough of an effort to come through on the second piece of this bet."

He nodded. "I think they're ready."

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

"I guess we will."

... ... ...

"You guys think we're ready?" Sepi asked, looking up at the stars from where she was laying, Sasuke and Naruto nearby. They were arranged in a circle of sorts, their feet pointing outwards and their heads at the center.

"Believe it!"

"Hn."

She closed her eyes. "Yea, you guys are right."

 _We are ready. We have to be. We can't fail._


	48. The final barrier

*AN: _Um...This is a long chapter. I didn't realize how long it was until I pasted it from Google Docs onto here. A good apology, eh? Enjoy!*_

"Whaddya mean, a second part of the bet?!" Naruto yelled indignantly. Sasuke and Sepi weren't too happy, either, their faces showing it.

Tsunade smirked. "You kids really expected anything else? Anyone can learn a jutsu, but true mastery is being able to use it in battle."

"So we're going to be fighting you?" Sasuke didn't look too upset about this turn of events anymore, the eagerness to fight showing in his eyes.

"Not exactly." Jiraiya picked up where Tsunade left off. "You're going to be fighting Tsunade's shadow clone."

Sasuke shrugged. "Fine by me."

Sepi swallowed nervously, but shifted to a fighting stance. "Alright."

Tsunade tossed her jacket to a very nervous-looking Shizune. "Come on then, brats?"

"Everyone ready?" Jiraiya glanced between the four shinobi as they answered his question with nods of confirmation. Sepi was nervous, knowing exactly who they were going against. She had positioned herself between Sasuke and Naruto, a little to the rear. Naruto and Sasuke's faces were engraved with grim determination. Inwadly, Jiraiya was beaming with pride as he watched his godson and the blonde's two friends prepare for battle. _They know the stakes. For some reason, I know...they won't fail._ "Then...begin!"

... ... ...

 **We can't waste anymore time here.** Whatever this thing was, it was irritated. **You've gone over the Invasion six times now. We need to move on.**

Each time we went through those memories, when my 'dream' self went out of control, so did I. I was getting better at handling the rage and agony coursing through my veins, but not by much. Still, this thing was right. We needed to move onto the next barrier. However, this dreamscape I was in was becoming clearer, more defined, so...yay, I guess?

"Alright." I said, nodding. "You're correct. Let's move on. I think I'll be able to look at Miko without killing him when I see him next time. I _think._ What's the next barrier, anyways?"

 **It, thankfully, is an easy one, more brought into existence from your head crashing into a tree than mental anguish. One review should be enough, and thanks to the knowledge you already possess, the few memories you gain will be easily stored.**

"Why is it even a barrier then?"

 **Because _somebody_ thought it would be a good idea to smash into a tree head-first!**

"...Point taken."

 **Ready?**

"Ready."

... ... ...

I blinked. I was standing in a small clearing, and if I had to guess, I'd say it was relatively close to the Leaf village.

A smaller me went charging by me, causing me to jump in surprise. _Holy shit, was I really that small?!_

I winced when I realized where he was headed: straight for a tree. A thought popped unbidden to my mind, and I had to laugh. _George, George, George of the Jungle, watch out for that tree!_

However, Ibukai ran up it a couple steps, and then one more, before losing momentum and running back down it, sliding to a stop.

My eyes widened slightly. "I was doing chakra control exercises?"

 **"Yes, you were."**

I turned slightly to see the shadows taking shape. A cloaked figure appeared beside me. It wasn't solid, as I could see the shadows swirling where fabric should have been.

 _Creepy._

"You've never taken shape in a memory before." I mused.

"As your mind becomes more complete, less of my energy is taken up from keeping it intact. As such, I can manifest here as well, for a time."

"Not sure how I feel about that." I said with a small smirk as we watched the younger me continue trying to run up the tree, with limited success.

Then, three things happened.

One: A memory hit me like a brick, causing me to drop to one knee while clutching my head.

Two: Iruka-sensei appeared. "Ibukai! What are you doing missing class?"

Three: The first two items on this list caused the young me to trip while running full-speed, smashing head-first into the tree, leaving a small indentation behind.

I, however, was too busy to pay attention to Iruka-sensei running over to the now-unconscious Ibukai.

 _"Stay. Here. Do you understand me?"_

 _"H-hai Anbu-san!"_

 _A pat on the head. A weasel appears._

 _"It's time."_

 _"Then let's begin."_

When I looked up, I was on both knees, back in my dreamscape. "The fuck was that?!" I snapped at the cloak figure. "You said-!"

 **"You're still alive."** He? Said, amused. He straightened up. **"You don't fail to disappoint me with your clumsiness."**

"Go. Fuck. Yourself."

He chuckled. **"Relax. I _did_ do this for a reason besides my own amusement."**

I stood. "You're an asshole."

 **"So are you, and since I am part of you..."**

"Still..." I said, dusting myself off. "That flash of memory…"

He waited patiently as I put the pieces together.

"From the last barrier?" I guessed, and he nodded.

 **"That one...will be difficult to break."**

"Why?"

 **"Because, my dear Ibukai, we have company."**

... ... ...

Inoichi looked around the mindscape. "Something...has changed. It's clearer now, more detailed. Before, it was like looking through a slightly blurred image.."

Ibuki and Anko looked around, taking in the giant wall with a glance. Barren trees now dotted the landscape, with dead grass that reached to just over their ankles rustling underfoot.

"Why's the horizon red?" Ibuki asked.

Inoichi shrugged. "I don't know. Right now, we have to concentrate on getting all the information we can out of this...thing. With the T&I aiding us in the real world, it shouldn't have the power to push us out."

 **"Care to make a bet on that?"**

They looked up to see the creature, cloaked in shadows, red eyes peeking out from under its hood, on top of the large metal door. Anko's stomach tightened upon the realization that she could only make out razor-sharp teeth and those blazing eyes. Otherwise, the creature's face was formless.

 **"Three this time…"** It mused. **"And one of them is Ibuki, head of T &I. Ibuki, Ibukai, Ibuki, Ibukai...damn that's gonna get confusing, quick. Oh, and if it isn't Anko Mitarashi. You're alright in my book. The fishnet helps. A lot. Otherwise, I'm starting to get pissed at all these interruptions. Do you want Ibukai to go berserk when you pop him outta that coma? If you manage to get Tsunade here before he DIES, that is, which is looking more unlikely as the days go by. So if you could all just FUCK OFF, that'd be great."**

Ibuki stepped forward. "Hmph. What a brat."

The creature bared its teeth. **"I know all about you, Ibuki. Don't piss me off. Here, you can still die. Wanna risk that, just for the sake of some measly information?"**

"And how are you going to do that?" Ibuki asked, sounding amused and bored at the same time. Inoichi knew better. Ibuki was playing on the ego of this creature to gain information.

The creature seemed to know it, too.

 **"My dear Ibuki…"** It purred. **"You really can do better than that in an attempt to gain information. You know, being the head of T &I and all. Inoichi, honestly? This is the best you can do? No wonder Sepi was interested in joining your little interrogation squad. It's no more than a tea party."**

 _No,_ Inoichi realized, _we're not playing it. It's playing us._

Ibuki simply smirked. "You're part of Ibukai's subconscious mind?"

 **"Yes? I thought I already made this clear. Jeez, you guys are slow on the uptake."**

"Then I order you, as a Leaf shinobi, to bring Ibukai out to talk to us."

It _hissed._

 _Well played, Ibuki._ Inoichi thought. _As long as Ibukai is still loyal to the Leaf, and providing this creature is telling the truth about being part of Ibukai, it needs to obey._

 _On another note, this creature is right. Ibuki and Ibukai really do have similar names. I'm gonna have a major fucking headache when we get out of here._

 **"Well played, you bastard."** It growled.

Slowly, the landscape around them changed.

The interior of Ibukai's mind. Inoichi thought. It was...a broken-down version of one of the Uchiha's homes in their district. Aiko's, if he wasn't mistaking. But why were they...?

Anko shifted nervously, and if Inoichi had to guess, she knew exactly why Ibukai's mindscape was like this.

 **"Bastards."** The creature muttered again, disappearing and reappearing on the second-story pathway railing.

Someone next to him leaned onto the rail, his face coming into view in the dim light.

"Ibukai." Anko whispered.

"Sensei." He greeted her. Even from this distance, Inoichi could clearly see Ibukai's spinning Sharingan.

 **"The bastard played on your loyalty to get me to bring them here. Do you have any idea how much faster this would go if you weren't loyal to the Leaf?"** The creature was fuming, killing intent pouring from its being.

Ibukai simply waved it off, looking unfazed at the mouthful of gleaming, obsidian-colored teeth and eyes of crimson fire that were so close to him.

"Now that you've been persistent enough to get here, Inoichi, what do you want? You guys are interrupting something important."

"Ibukai Kokori, you've been ordered by the Hokage to-."

Inoichi glanced at Ibuki to figure out why he had stopped talking so suddenly, and jerked back in surprise when he saw a bandana of shadows covering Ibuki's mouth, effectively gagging the head of T&I.

"I didn't tell you to talk, Ibuki." Ibukai said in a tone that sounded like he was discussing the weather.

 **"Thank you. That fucker is annoying as hell."**

"Mah, don't mention it." Ibukai said, his lazy smile covered by his mask. Anko shivered. Suddenly, the shadows surrounding her student seemed a lot more ominous.

"Ibukai, enough." She said. He studied her for a moment before the shadows gagging Ibuki disappeared.

"Why are you here, Sensei? Shouldn't you be training Miko and Sepi, or be sitting by Kakashi's side, looking lovingly at him while your team goes to shit?" There was a trace of anger in his voice.

"Sepi is with Sasuke, Naruto, and Jiraiya, looking for Tsunade." She responded, trying and failing to hide a wince, and just like that, Ibukai's anger diminished, although traces were still there. He looked at her with an expression of disbelief mixed with amusement.

"Of course she is." He said with a chuckle, folding his arms. "Still, my question remains. Why are you here?"

She smirked. "My student's mind had some weird fucker in it. Of course I'm gonna come."

"You know what? Fair enough. Inoichi, answer. What do you want that's so fucking important?"

"The Hokage needs any information you can provide on the Akatsuki you fought."

Ibukai leaned forward again. "Hmm...And why would I do that? You guys should know everything there is to know about Kisame Hokigashi."

"Kisame Hokigashi." Ibuki said, looking irritated. "Figures he'd be with Itachi."

"Ibukai, if you have any more information on Kisame-" Inoichi started, but Ibukai cut him off.

"I don't know anything you don't. If you wanna learn some more, why don't you get your stomach torn to shreds via a very angry sword...shark..thing? Now, if you all don't mind?" Ibukai said. "We are rather busy."

"Not quite." Ibuki replied. "Your refusal to comply with a direct order aside, There's still the matter of that...creature."

... ... ...

My eyes narrowed. I was, in the real world, lying in a coma. They had come this far to confirm rather useless information that they already had while I was trying to figure out what the hell was beyond that last barrier, interrupting me before I could do so. Now, they were accusing the one who was helping me as being a threat, when in fact, he seemed to be the only real ally I had.

"I think it's time for you to go." I said. "You've overstayed your welcome."

"Why the Uchiha compound?" Inoichi blurted out. "Why is this where your mindscape formed?"

I was losing patience. "I thought it an appropriate place to greet you all. Now, Get. Out."

"Why?" Ibuki was the one who asked, and Anko-sensei looked curious. Hmm...maybe it was a look of concern. Either or.

 **"You really want to tell them?"** The shadows at my side asked in a low voice.

"Not particularly." I admitted.

Then everything went to hell.

... ... ...

Anko was about to comment about how Ibukai seemed...off...when Ibuki noticed that a set of double doors in the compound was standing partly opened and headed towards it, intent on finding out some answers. Her student and the...creature...were in conversation when Ibukai noticed where Ibuki was headed. The sky lit up in a crimson gleam as Ibukai screamed in rage.

"BASTARD!"

Ibuki was yanked backwards by some unseen force, crashing into Inoichi and knocking the blonde down, too. Anko turned back to Ibukai to find him crouched nearby, barely restraining himself from tearing into the three Jounin. The shadowy creature was on the opposite side of the group, presumably waiting for Ibukai to attack before aiding him in combat.

"LEAVE!"

"May I stay?" Anko asked. Usually, she'd be much more demanding, but she recognized the situation for what it was: Ibuki had, albeit unknowingly, almost gone somewhere her student clearly didn't want him to go. The creature had admitted Ibukai's mind was broken, so if she presented herself as an opponent, he would likely attack. Better to be a caring mentor and aid Ibukai if she could, rather than be an opponent and further fracture it.

"Anko-" Ibuki started to growl, but Inoichi stopped him with a raised hand.

"...Fine." Ibukai said, standing straight up as the red started to fade from the sky. "They go, though. NOW!"

... ... ...

I smirked as Inoichi and Ibuki left my mindscape. Almost unconsciously, the tension left my body.

"Give us a minute, will you?" I asked my...shadow, for lack of a better term.

 **"Remember what we talked about."** He said. **"I'll go prepare the final barrier."**

"Final barrier?" Anko-sensei asked, looking at me.

I sighed. "It's...a long story. Suffice to say, when I went into a coma forcibly via Kisame's sword, it dredged up memories, stored in perfect clarity. They all came crashing down, flooding into my conscious mind unchecked. The creature here was created by my mind as a sort of a...gatekeeper, from what I've gathered. I have one more barrier to breach, one more set of memories to access and store, so when I wake up, I don't go crazy from the flood of emotion."

Anko-sensei's eyes narrowed. "Ibukai, what is the memory?"

I tilted my head, curious at her reaction. "My guess? The Massacre."

Her eyes widened and she covered the ground between us quickly. "Ibukai, you cannot look through that memory! This creature is leading you on. You won't go crazy when you come out of the coma. He's baiting you, using you!"

"Anko-sensei...what aren't you telling me?" I asked, taking a step back, suspicion growing. "What do you know about the Massacre that you aren't saying?"

She looked away. "I can't tell you. It's an order, straight from Lord Third. When...I became your sensei, he had a private chat with me to explain some things. One was that, if you ever started gaining memories of the Massacre, I was to report it directly to Lord Third immediately. I don't know why, but he classified it as an S-rank mission."

 _ **Don't you want to know what she's talking about?**_

I blinked and closed my eyes. _You're in my head?_

 _ **I am you, after all. I admit it, you'd be perfectly fine if you didn't view this last memory. I can't tell you why. But, when you get out of here, even if you talk to Lord Third directly, do you really think that he'll tell you everything? You're the**_ **only** _ **person you can trust. They waited how many years to tell you of your bloodline? Of your true parents? Think about it, if your Sharingan had never activated, they would have hidden the truth from you forever, even when you knew something was up.**_

I was silent for awhile. Should I obey my sensei? Trust the Leaf? Even when I knew there was something being hidden from me?

 _On the other hand…_

It was an S-rank secret, which meant if the Hokage ever found out I knew, the consequences would be severe.

 _I...shouldn't._ I finally realized.

 _ **Come on...don't you want to know how your mother is involved in all of this?**_

I froze.

"What?"

I was so surprised that I said it out loud. Anko-sensei blinked, and then glared as the creature formed behind me.

 _That doesn't make sense...What about my mother? How is she involved in this?!_

 ** _Hmm...I never said that the memory contained the information, or that it didn't, did I? You and I both know you won't let yourself be curious about Aiko. We both know it's because you fear that you'll start to feel her loss more keenly. All I'm saying is, we get through this memory, we can continue through all the memories you have ever had, and we'll search until we find what happened to Aiko Uchiha. Why isn't she in the Akatsuki, or on the memorial stone? You've looked often enough that you know she should be there. We will find out what happened to her, but we can't view those memories until we get through the massacre._**

"What are you doing to him?" Anko-sensei asked.

 **"Telling him why he should continue on."** My shadow shot back.

She looked me dead in the eyes. "Ibukai, please. If you trust me, don't view that memory. Some things are best left forgotten."

"I'll...avoid the Massacre." I said with a sigh. "I'll trust you, and the Leaf, on this, Anko-sensei."

She sighed with relief as my shadow stalked away with me in anger.

 **"FINE!"** He roared.

Anko-sensei continued glaring, but I held up a hand with a smile. "Don't worry, he'll get over it. When is Sepi gonna get back?"

"They should be back in about a week." Anko-sensei replied, finally turning her attention away from my shadow.

I yawned. "Then I'm just gonna take a nap until they do. Don't let me die on that side, will you?"

She grinned and ruffled my hair. "You got it, brat. See ya."

With that, she was gone, and I closed my eyes. "Goodbye...Sensei."

... ... ...

Anko opened her eyes and looked around the room. "His mind is calm and whatever secret the Hokage wishes protected is secure." She said to the assembled shinobi from where she knelt at Ibukai's side.

... ... ...

 **"Damn."** My shadow whistled, appearing behind me. **"If I wasn't part of you, you would have had even me fooled with that preformance."**

 _I...am sorry, Sensei._

I opened my eyes. "Is the memory ready?"

 **"Yep. One reliving of hell, coming up."**

 _I'm sorry that I don't trust you, but some things **aren't** best left forgotten._

"Begin." I said.


	49. Tsunade returns!

*AN: _Hey guys, I know that I forgot to post on Friday again. Well, as things stand, we've only got a little while to go before the normal Naruto series is complete, so I'm probably gonna just gonna update on Mondays until it's complete, since I keep forgetting to update Fridays. I'll probably do double updates though, to make up for it.*_

Tsunade easily avoided the blasts of water Sepi sent her way, effortlessly flicking Naruto's shadow clones and causing them to rupture. Sasuke's fire jutsus didn't even cause the water beneath her feet to evaporate, either.

"Come on! Even as a shadow clone I'm kicking your asses!" Tsunade yelled, leaping into the air and bringing an axe kick down towards Sepi. She avoided it (barely) and formed handsigns as she slid away.

Tsunade shook her head in disappointment. She was mildly impressed that they had lasted three hours already, and the craters that dotted the landscape bore testament to how good the kids were at dodging. However, they had yet to even attempt their new jutsus.

Her eyes narrowed as Sepi came rushing towards her, her handsigns complete. "Water Style: Water Dragon Severing Blade!" She roared, and a blade of water formed on her arm as she slashed high at Tsunade. Tsunade ducked under it, the deadly blade barely missing her head, lashing out with a vicious punch. She was through playing around. Still, at least they were trying their new jutsu out.

Sepi barely ducked back far enough to dodge the punch, but she failed to avoid the follow-up kick that send her flying backwards, landing in the virtual lake that surrounded them.

Lightning chirped behind her, and Tsunade whirled to see Sasuke charging towards her, the Chidori in his left hand. He thrust it forward, hard, and she smirked and grabbed his arm, just below the dangerous chakra, only for her grin to fall when he gave his own smirk in return.

"Chidori Feint!"

"Wha-?"

The lightning disappeared out of his left hand and re-appeared in his right, and he kicked her, sending her a step backwards as he spun mid-air and thrust the Chidori into the waiting lake.

 _ZZZZTTTT!_

It wasn't enough for the shadow clone to be destroyed, though. Tsunade smirked as she watched Sasuke fall towards his own trap, only for her smirk to fall again as two of Naruto's shadow clones sacrificed themselves to give Sasuke a foothold on their backs, and he leapt free of danger.

Her movements were sluggish as she turned towards the blonde brat, only for her movements to be stopped all-together. Her eyes widened as he formed another shadow-clone and started forming the Rasengan.

A quick check of her chakra showed it to be a simple Genjutsu, and she dispelled it, her returning confidence being dashed when she realized what the Genjutsu really had been: a smokescreen, essentially, for the dozen shadow clones that now held her in place.

"I'm never gonna lose! Believe it!" Naruto yelled at her, dashing forward.

"H-hey, wait, let's talk about this, kid!" Tsunade yelled, trying to throw the shadow clones off of her. She managed to get an arm free, ripping her fist upward where it connected full-force with the incoming blonde-

-Who disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

She sweatdropped.

 _Shit._

"RASENGAN!" She heard from behind her, and there was no dodging this one.

 _BOOOOOMMMMM!_

... ... ...

 **"Defying orders, learning forbidden information. My little Ibukai is growing up."**

"Shut the fuck up." I snapped.

 **"Let's begin."**

... ... ...

"Well done, brats." Tsunade admitted to them. "Looks like I lost."

Jiraiya looked at her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Yea, yea." She waved it off. "You, Naruto, was it?"

He approached cautiously. "Yea?"

She took off her necklace and, leaning forward, placed it around his neck. "Both my love and my brother wished to be Hokage one day, as well." She said softly. "Neither one of them lived to fulfill their dream. However, if they were here, I believe they would also acknowledge that one day, you will be a great Hokage."

Naruto looked from the necklace to her. "Eh? A necklace?"

Jiraiya sighed. "That's no ordinary necklace, you fool. It belonged to Lord First himself."

Sepi smiled and Sasuke looked away. Jiraiya just laughed at the both of them.

"Let's go home." Tsunade said.

... ... ...

 _No. No no no nononono NO!_

 **"Pull yourself together."**

 _"BASTARD!"_ I screamed.

... ... ...

"Tsunade."

Said Sannin nodded at her sensei. "Old man."

Hiruzen gave her a tired smile. "It's been too long. I'm relieved you're here."

"Yea, yea, old man Hokage, can she heal Ibukai and Kakashi-sensei now?"

The group didn't miss the broad array of emotions that crossed the Hokage's face. He carefully set down his pipe.

"I'll have my ANBU escort you to the hospital to heal Kakashi. After that you can...asses Ibukai Hatake for yourself."

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto yelled.

Tsunade's eye twitched. "Shut up, brat."

Sepi's eyes narrowed. "Come on, you guys. Ibukai and Kakashi won't get healed by us just standing around."

... ... ...

Kakashi awoke to one of the Sannin and his entire team next his bedside.

 _Last I remember…_

 _Ibukai!_

"Where's my son?" Was the first thing out of his mouth.

... ... ...

Sepi winced. _So this is why Lord Hokage was so hesitant…_

Ibukai was attached to various machines, all beeping softly, doing their level best to keep him alive.

"His surface wounds have healed poorly. His lungs keep refilling with fluid and his wounds keep becoming infected, no matter what we do. We tried to heal his ruptured organs, but they're just too damaged. We had to put him in a forced coma to try to keep him alive until you got here. It's a good thing you didn't take two more days, because he wouldn't have lasted that long." The lead medic informed a grim-looking Tsunade. Kakashi was nearby, looking like he wanted to murder somebody, with Team 6 and 7 waiting outside of the operation room.

Tsunade sighed. "Alright. Gather six of your lead medics. Shizune, prep a room. We're going to have to forcibly remove the infection with chakra before we can even attempt to re-open and seal the wounds properly. Oversee the draining of his lungs. I'll...be right back."

She walked out, ignoring the gathered people, heading down the hallway and to an empty operation room.

"The fuck have I gotten myself into?" She whispered.

"Lady Tsunade?"

The Sannin turned to see a pink-hair girl standing in the doorway.

"What do you want, Pinky?" She snapped.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked, concerned.

Tsunade gave a humorless laugh. "Is it your opinion that a medic being afraid of blood is a good thing?" She asked. Kami knew why she was talking to this brat…She needed more sake. A LOT more sake.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing." Sakura said with a shrug. "I mean, a medic's whole job is to prevent bleeding, right?"

Thank goodness Sepi told me about Lady Tsunade's problem. Sakura thought.

Tsunade looked at her, curious. "What?"

Sakura shrugged. "I mean, I don't know a whole lot about medical ninjutsu, but it seems pretty straightforward. Find the bleeding, stop the bleeding. If you're afraid of blood, it just means you need to heal the person faster, right? Why do you ask?"

Tsunade straightened up. "Oh, er, no reason. Now, let's get going." With that, she brushed by Sakura, who gave an unseen sigh of relief.

... ... ...

 **"H-Hey! Get ahold of yourself!"**

"I will send that bastard to the depths of HELL! **DANZO!"**

... ... ...

"Everyone ready?"

The medics nodded in response to Tsunade's question. Before they could do anything, Ibukai's vitals spiked, the equipment attached to him screaming in protest.

"This has happened several times." An ANBU behind Tsunade said.

Tsunade took a deep breath. _Worry about what is causing this won't help us fix it here and now. Our only option is to heal him quickly and ensure that it's done right the first time._ "Begin!"


	50. Ibukai wakes up

*AN: _Okay, so long chapter. I doubt you guys are complaining. Quick heads-up, I won't be doing a double update, as we only have this chapter and the next chapter before we are done with the Naruto story arc. I'm ready to start posting the Shippuden-era story, though, and I'll put that link at the end of the next chapter. I also have an Omake for Kakashi almost done, and I'll post that at the same time as the final chapter next week. I've spent quite awhile on this story, and I'm really glad you guys are enjoying it. So here you guys go, the second-to-last chapter! Enjoy!*_

"Why hasn't he woken up yet?" Sepi asked, worried. She and Miko were waiting in Ibukai's room. He had been healed by Tsunade, but their teammate still hadn't woken up after a week.

No answer greeted her.

Miko looked up and met her eyes. "Don't do it, Sepi."

"Do what?"

"Do-"

Sepi was already standing at Ibukai's side, her hands flowing through the familiar motions.

"Shit." Miko said.

... ... ...

"Ibukai!"

 **"We have company. Get. Up."**

"Ibukai! There you- OI! UGLY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING NEXT TO MY TEAMMATE?!"

 **"Who you calling ugly, you loud bitch?!"**

 _WHAM!_

I slowly lifted my head from where I knelt. "...Sepi?"

My blonde teammate was kneeling next to me after sending the shadow dude flying. "Ibukai! You're healed, okay? What is that creepy dude doing here? Why is your mindscape the Uchiha Compound? Talk to me!"

 **"Step. Away."** My companion growled, standing.

"It's...okay." I finally said. "What...are you...doing...here?"

 **"You don't need to talk to her."** He growled. **"She thought you were worthless during the Invasion! She betrayed you!"**

"Ibukai?" Sepi asked. "I came here to check on you. What's wrong?"

I looked at the creature. "...I'll be fine. She's my teammate."

He stalked off, and I met Sepi's eyes.

"What is it?" She asked, eyes wide with concern.

"I saw it." I said, my voice choking.

"...Saw what?"

"The Massacre." My voice cracked. "Sepi, I saw it all. I saw Aiko and Itachi slaughter everyone. She hid me in a closet, but I didn't stay there. I ran back after I saw what they were doing, but I could still hear the screams. Jashin-dammit, the screams! She...used her Sharingan on me. She showed me from her memories Danzo ordering her and Itachi to kill our clan. I felt everything. Her agony. Her rage. She hated Danzo. She wanted me to kill him, so she poured all her memories and desire to see that bastard dead into me."

My tears were streaming down my cheeks now, and Sepi pulled me into a tight hug.

"Hey, it's over now. I'm here. Your teammates are here. Sasuke's alive, Kakashi's alive, Lord Third is alive. We're changing things you know? But we need you back. Team 6 needs you. We can't do this without you."

Slowly, I nodded. "...Okay."

"Then what do you say we get out of here?" She said with a grin, and I found myself grinning back. A small grin, but a grin nonetheless.

"Alright."

... ... ...

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

 _Everything...hurts…_

"Ibukai?"

I turned my head carefully. Sepi was standing by my hospital bed, eyes wide.

"This...needs to stop...being a regular thing." I managed to say.

She gave a huge sigh of relief. "You scared the ever-living crap outta me. What the fuck were you thinking?! Kisame could have been hurt!"

I glared at her as she gave me her biggest fangirl grin. Then, I started to laugh.

I was relieved. Sure, I had gone toe-to-toe with Kisama Hokigashi and barely survived. Sure, I had gotten information that I now realized was an S-class secret for good reason. Sure, I had almost completely lost my mind with rage. Sure, my little subconscious voice was now completely gone and I was left picking up the pieces alone. But, I was alive. I still had a chance to change things. However…

My laughter died down. "Sepi," I said seriously, "you ever execute a plan like the Invasion alone again, without my knowledge or help, I swear to Jashin I will become a missing-nin."

She had the decency to look embarrassed and nervous. "Um...I've been wanting to talk to you about that…"

Then I saw Miko.

…

 _WHAM!_

Before either of them could react, I was out of bed with my fist buried in his stomach, lifting the Nara off the ground, my body screaming in protest. I grabbed him and threw him against the wall, pinning him there with my forearm.

His eyes locked with mine, and he whimpered in fear.

"Just the person I wanted to talk to." I growled.

Something sharp pricked the back of my neck, and I turned my head slightly to see Sepi, armed with a kunai, standing directly behind me.

"Ibukai, put him down." She said, her voice steady.

"Not until he tells me why he tried selling me out to Orochimaru." I replied, and her eyes narrowed.

"What?!" She fairly yelled, looking between me and Miko.

"When I was unconscious, I got the chance to review some memories, things that my brain had shoved so far into my subconscious mind, I would never remember them on my own. One was during the Invasion, when a Sound nin told me Miko had sold me out."

Sepi lowered the kunai, and her eyes were icy as she moved to stand beside me.

"Explanation. Now." She growled.

... ... ...

"It was...during the second exam." Miko started. He was sitting in a chair, I was on the bed, and Sepi was leaning against the wall. She and I were both pissed, and Miko was looking everywhere but at us.

"Ibukai's Sharingan had activated for a brief moment, and I though, 'hey, if my friends won't help me get back to our world, maybe one of the Sannin, who knows a shitload of jutsus, will.' So, I slipped a message to Kabuto, telling him of the preparations that had been made for the Invasion."

"You're the reason the other village was here." Sepi growled, and he winced and nodded.

"What did you tell him about us? Why did he agree to help you?"

He held up his hands. "Just that I knew things! Things that could help him! You were supposed to be grabbed during the Invasion, but, well…"

"So tell me one reason I shouldn't kill you now." I snarled.

He looked down. "Because...when you were unconscious, I realized why you fought for them. These people. Sepi told me they bleed too, and, well, if you guys are fighting for them, I'd rather take my chances with you. Can we…please...put this behind us?"

"Not a chance." I said instantly.

"Why not?" He pleaded.

"One: _my family died in the Invasion!_ " I almost roared. "Because of you!"

"And number two, you colossal idiot, is that now Orochimaru is gonna have his sights set on you and Ibukai." Sepi said from where she stood. "He knows Team 6 is different. Anko-sensei is his former student. You've revealed you know shit, Ibukai is one of the last Uchiha, and…" She trailed off.

"And what?" I asked suspiciously.

"And I'm a trainee in the ANBU?" She said apologetically.

I gave her a steady glare. "First, we deal with this shit, then you and I are gonna have a talk." I promised/threatened.

She nodded, looking none too happy, but turned her attention back to Miko.

"Let me be clear about something, Miko. You ever, and I mean ever, even look like you're gonna betray this village again, and I'll cut you apart myself, and it won't be a slow death, understand?"

The blood drained from his face and he nodded frantically.

"So, what are we gonna do?" I asked.

"...What do you mean?" He asked.

"You are the Nara." Sepi said. "You're inherently better than Ibukai or myself at strategizing. You have the brains, Ibukai has the brawn, I have the raw craziness." She cackled.

Miko and I shuddered, and I looked at them both. "Are we in this thing as a team?" I asked them.

They looked at each other, and then they nodded.

I heaved a sigh of relief. "Good, because I have some really fucked-up shit to tell you guys about. Think you can meet me at the entrance to the Uchiha compound, two days from now, around 6 at night?" I asked.

Miko nodded, and Sepi looked at me, curious. "What are you gonna do?"

I laid back down. "First, I need to rest up a bit. Going head-to-head with Kisame is not a fun thing to do. After that, I need to go see whoever is the Hokage. Then, I need to see a couple people. I'll see you guys in a few days."

... ... ...

A knock sounded on the doors of the Hokage's office, and the two Sannin and Hiruzen looked up.

"Come in." He said, sounding curious.

Ibukai Kokori strode through the doors, not looking at all like he had spent almost a month in a near-death state.

"You recovered from the operation quickly." Tsunade said, amused.

He bowed slightly. "Thank you for everything, Lady Tsunade." He said. "Lord Hokage, I'd like to make a request."

The Hokage puffed on his pipe. "What is it?"

"As the only child of Aiko Uchiha, is it not correct that her home in the Uchiha compound now falls to me?"

He sat back. "Indeed."

"I would like to request that I am allowed to move into it immediatly, and also that I am allowed to begin repairs and have access to my family's section of the funds of the Uchiha clan."

Tsunade's mouth hung slightly open, and even Jiraiya looked surprised. Hiruzen set down his pipe and folded his hands. "What is it that you plan to do?" He wasn't altogether sure that the dark creature of Ibukai's subconscious was in control of the boy, and he wanted to be damn sure of Ibukai's intentions before he allowed anything.

"I am going to start restoring the house and the surrounding district." Ibukai responded.

"I see. You may move into the compound. As for the funds, I will need to consult the Council, but I don't see any reason that your request is denied. Dismissed."

With a final bow, Ibukai turned to leave.

"Oh, and report here in the morning with the rest of your team. Now that you're awake and clearly functioning again, I see no reason that you can't begin missions immediately."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" With that, he was gone.

"You aren't really gonna take his request to the Council, are you, Sensei?" Tsunade asked, amused.

"Not a chance. Those fools can't put on their own sandals in the morning without a four-hour debate on the pros and cons of walking around." Hiruzen said dismissively.

... ... ...

"OI!"

I braced myself as Naruto came running up, barely sliding to a stop and avoiding crashing into me.

I smiled. "Hey, Naruto. What's up?"

"What's up?! You're walking around, ya know!"

"I was aware of this fact, yes." I deadpanned.

He was fairly hopping up and down in excitement. "No! I mean, yea, but, you're okay! Baa-chan really fixed you up!"

I smiled. "Yea, she did a good job. Hey, listen, I need to go do some things right now, but let's grab some ramen tomorrow, okay?"

He grinned at me and gave me a thumbs-up. "Okay, ya know! See you tomorrow!"

I waved as I walked away. "See you tomorrow!"

... ... ...

Kakashi groaned when a knock sounded at the door.

"Just leave it." Anko said from where she lay next to him.

He smirked and snuggled (yes, the great Kakashi snuggled. Eat your hearts out, fangirls!) next to her. "Good idea."

After a few minutes, the knocking stop, and Kakashi was just drifting off to sleep when a shadow fell over them.

He blinked and looked up to see his very amused son standing over his bed. "Seriously? You couldn't come to the door for your own son because you were banging his sensei? In the middle of the day, no less."

"Brat, gimme one reason not to kill you right now." Anko growled, a blush heating up her face as she pulled the covers over her…less than clothed form.

"One: we have a mission tomorrow morning. Two: 'Cause you love me too much. Three: Please see reasons one and two. Anyways, Dad, can you meet me at the entrance to the Uchiha compound at around 3 two days from now? Thanks."

With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Fuckin' shadow clone." Anko growled. "I am so kicking that kid's ass next time I see him."

Kakashi relaxed next to her. "Mah, mah. I'll make him wait for 3 hours and just show up at 6, instead."

She smirked. "That sounds good to me."

... ... ...

Sasuke dropped his tomato (again) when he opened the door and found me standing there.

"You didn't think you were getting rid of me that easy, did you?" I said.

His mouth dropped open. "You're...okay?"

 _That's right. He probably expected me to die, like everyone else he felt close to. Well, psych! I ain't dying yet!_

"Obviously." I said. "Thanks for helping bring the old lady back. Anyways, I got permission from the Hokage to move into the Uchiha district. Mind helping me move in tomorrow? Around noon?

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "Hn."

Translation: Yea, I'll be there. I just need to finish processing the fact that you aren't dead. (You're welcome, everyone.)

"Great! See ya there." I said, walking off.

... ... ...

 _Two days later..._

I looked at the dead sakura tree in the middle of my mother's...compound, really. I really only got the chance to view this place once before, so I killed the time left before meeting with everyone by exploring some more. It probably was beautiful at one time, but years of neglect had left it in disrepair. There was a sizable library and training area, several bedrooms, a storage room for ninja tools, as well as various weapons and armor.

I paused when I got to the master bedroom, slowly walking inside, to the closet I had hidden in, so many years ago.

It was like any other night that I got to stay over at Aiko-chan's. Only, this time, I was shaken awake in the middle of the night by an ANBU.

 _"Wha…?" I asked, rubbing sleep from my eyes. Without a word, said ANBU picked me up and ran to the master bedroom, flinging open the closet and placing me inside._

 _"Stay. Here." She emphasized._

 _I nodded. "Yes, Anbu-san!"_

 _She hesitated, before taking off her mask. Aiko then kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry." She whispered. I looked up at her only to be met with the strange new pattern of the Mangekyou Sharingan._

 _Itachi appeared behind her as my eyes closed. "It's time."_

 _She sighed. "Begin."_

I found myself opening the closet, my hands tracing the rough wood. _Mother...You used the Mangekyou Sharingan to show me everything. You did your duty to the village, but you were determined that the bastard who caused this would die. There are still pieces of this puzzle that I'm missing. Your death...will not be in vain. You will not be forgotten. I swear it. I will fulfill your dying wish. I will avenge our clan!_

I felt a presence behind me. "How much do you trust me?" I asked.

"With my life." Was Sepi's instant reply. "Look, Ibukai, I'm sorry about the Invasion. I just thought-"

"None of that matters now." I said, standing. "I need your help with something." I turned to face her to find her head tilted, a curious look on her face.

"With what?" She asked.

"I need the report of the Massacre. Lord Hokage's report."

Her eyes widened. "What? Ibukai, we know everything there is to know."

I was already shaking my head. "Sepi, we don't. Our very presence has altered this place, causing unforeseen changes. We need to assume we don't know everything there is to know anymore." I hesitated. "Haven't you felt...like you're changing? Like you're less Lauren and more Sepi?"

She looked away. "...Yea, I do. I...remember everything of Sepi's life. Everything."

I nodded. "Same here. When I was unconscious, I got to see the Massacre from Ibukai's point of view. Aiko aided Itachi."

She froze. "That's impossible."

I shook my head. "It's the truth."

"Then…"

I nodded. "There's shit going on that we don't know about."

"What are you planning to tell everyone?" She asked.

I walked out. "The truth."

... ... ...

Anko looked none to happy as I walked up. Kakashi looked miffed, too, actually.

"You planned on me being late?" He asked, disbelieving.

"You're late?" Was my reply as I tilted my head to the side questioningly.

Miko shook his head. "What did you bring us here for, anyways?"

I turned around. "Follow me."

Kakashi winced as we walked into Aiko's compound. I turned around dramatically and sat down in front of the dead Sakura tree with a flourish.

"Sepi, can you make some silencing seals?"

"No, but he can." She replied, pointing at the roof. With a sigh, I looked where she was pointing to find Jiraiya.

"Fuck it, the more the merrier." I said, motioning us to join us.

He smiled and quickly drew up some silencing and privacy seals. "Sepi paid me a visit earlier. Said something about needing a seal master."

I glared at her. "Thanks a lot."

She beamed back at me. "Welcome!"

"You wanna tell us what this is about?" Anko-sensei asked.

"The Uchiha Massacre." I said with a grim smile, spreading my arms out. "And the real story behind it."


	51. Retribution!

*AN: _Hey guys! This is the last chapter of Nothing But Time. Don't worry, the sequel's first chapter is already up, and I shall continue updating the story every Monday. If ya'll have questions, feel free to send me a PM or drop a review. Thank you all so much for all your support while I wrote this, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story! Until next time!*_

I held up a hand to stem the flow of questions that was bound to come. "You guys need to hear this all the way through before you do anything rash. Anko-sensei, I disobeyed your direct orders and, while in a coma, viewed my memories on the Massacre."

She glared at me. "You fucking what?"

I shrugged. "You really think that I was gonna avoid discovering S-class secrets? I'm on a team with Sepi, for crying out loud."

"He's got a point." Sepi piped up, and Anko-sensei glared at her.

I turned towards Kakashi. "This is gonna be hard for you to hear too, Kakashi. Oh, also, this is an S-rank secret, which I probably shouldn't be telling you guys."

Jiraiya stood carefully. "Then why are you?"

Miko, Sepi, and I glanced at each other. "Because fuck the rules, that's why." We answered in tandem.

"That should be our motto." I said.

"It really should." Sepi agreed.

"What a drag." Was Miko's response.

"You do realize the punishment for what you're about to do, right, kid?" Jiraiya asked me, and I nodded, serious once again.

"Yea, I do. Revealing an S-class secret is tantamount to treason. However, fuck the rules. I want the truth to be known instead of a convenient lie."

He sighed and motioned me to continue.

"This story begins years ago, with the Kyuubi attack." I began as everyone found various places to sit down. "The Uchiha, for some unknown reason, were ordered not to engage the Kyuubi, despite the fact that their Sharingan could stop the beast's rampage. This was because one Danzo Shimura hated the Uchiha, suspicious of them always. He intended on taking all power away from the Uchiha, crushing them totally. The village began to blame the Uchiha for Lord Fourth's death, and resent them. The Uchiha began to resent and hate them right back. Six years later, in an act of desperation to save their clan, they planned a coup d'etat."

The news hit like a ton of bricks. Kakashi's face, along with Anko's and Jiraiya's, paled as the full weight what I was saying hit them. A noble clan had tried overthrowing the Leaf? The news was shocking, to say the least.

"Under the orders of the same man, Danzo Shimura, Itachi and Aiko were ordered to slaughter their own clan to prevent civil war, and subsequently, the destruction of the Leaf."

No one spoke. Anko held up a hand to her mouth, Jiraiya closed his eyes in realization, and Kakashi's fist clenched.

"That...bastard!" My father finally growled, and I nodded.

"Because of Danzo's meddling, Lord Fourth died, and the Uchiha were destroyed. The blame, and all those deaths, are his fault."

"How do you know this?" Jiraiya asked me.

"Because of my mother's Mangekyou Sharingan." I said with a humorless smile. "She hated what she had to do, and she used her ocular jutsu to impart the knowledge onto me. The damage that had already been done couldn't be undone, but she wanted, more than anything, to make that bastard pay for what he did to the Leaf, and her clan. She and Itachi loved the village, and after the death of her brother and Itachi's friend, Shisui Uchiha, she did what she needed to do to protect the village. However, she swore revenge on Danzo, even from beyond the grave."

I could see my words slowly sinking into everyone. "So, Itachi?" Jiraiya finally prompted, brow furrowed as he processed the new turn of events.

"Itachi loves Sasuke like Aiko loved me. They couldn't bring themselves to kill those they cared about most. Itachi is, and will always be, the older brother that loves Sasuke and will do anything to protect him. He has resigned himself to dying by his little brother's hand. He intends for Sasuke to be seen as a hero, ending the traitor that destroyed his own clan. Aiko refused to let him go through their orders alone, even when he offered to."

"Why would Itachi…" Kakashi asked, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the boy he trained to take over his place in the Anbu wasn't actually a power-hungry murderer.

"For peace." I replied. "But I'll be damned if an innocent man whose only crime was following orders dies for that. No, this time, justice will be served on the one person who deserves it: Danzo Shimura." My voice softened. "Mom loved you, Kakashi, and she tried hiding the truth, but if I'm going to carry out the justice for my clan, I need all of your help, and that means you all needed to know the full truth."

"And how to you plan to do that, kid?" Jiraiya asked, even though we both knew the answer.

"How long does Naruto have before the Akatsuki move after him, again?" Sepi asked.

 _Thank the Sage of Six Paths for you, Sepi._

"About three years, give or take." He answered, curious.

"Then we train until then. I believe you were already planning on taking Naruto on a training trip?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Then the rest of us will train our asses off until you return. We'll bring Itachi back, confront Danzo, and destroy the Akatsuki." I declared.

"Bold words, kid." Anko said. "Providing what you're saying is true, I'm behind you 100%. Still, how exactly are you planning on pulling this off?"

"As a team." Sepi replied, and Miko nodded in agreement.

"It's a drag, but it really can't be helped." He chimed in.

Kakashi gave a small smile, barely visible through his mask. "I'll train Sasuke during the time Jiraiya is teaching Naruto. Sakura already is learning from Tsunade, so convincing Lady Hokage to take Sakura on as a full-fledged apprentice shouldn't be too difficult."

Anko-sensei shook her head. "I've got to hand it to you kids. It'll be a tricky thing to pull off, but you just might manage to do it."

I smirked. "Then let's get started."

After everyone dispersed, Jiraiya caught up to me, alone.

"Kid, think about what you're going to do. You are talking about killing a village elder."

"I know." I replied. "But that 'elder' has done more to harm the Leaf than all of our enemies combined. Do you really think that Lord Fourth would have died if not for the fact that the Uchiha, with our ocular power to control the tailed beast, were forbidden from being on the front lines? My mother and uncle loved this village, and all the people in it, and many Uchiha felt the same way, but all that was taken from them because Lord Second ad Danzo mistrusted and hated them."

He sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I." I whispered.

 _At the memorial stone._

"I always wondered why Mom's name wasn't on this thing." I commented as I came to a stop next to Kakashi.

He was silent for awhile. Finally, he spoke up. "Aiko...The Massacre...It's a lot to process."

"Yea, yea it is." I responded. "Still, half the battle is the truth being revealed to everyone. The second half is getting everyone to accept it."

He glanced at me. "Ibukai...about Toru and Shena..it was the best option at the time. Still...I'm...sorry. I would have-"

"Dad." I interrupted him. "I _understand._ I get it. You're here now. That's what matters, okay?"

He smiled slightly. "Alright."

My smile faded. "There's...one more thing."

He glanced at me. "What is it?"

"I don't know what happened to Aiko." I admitted. "I intend to find out, though. Do you...know...?"

He finally shook his head. "I don't." He admitted. "She disappeared. I always assumed she was killed in the Massacre, but if what you say is true..."

"She's missing." I concluded for him. My eyes narrowed. "We _will_ get to the bottom of this, even if I have to beat the truth out of Danzo."

"You'll have to beat me to it." He replied with a growl.

 _Later, on top of the Hokage's monument._

"How are you planning to back your words up, Ibukai?" Miko asked me, curious. "I mean, I agree that we have to do something, but how in the hell are you planning to take on Orochimaru _and_ Danzo _and_ the Akatsuki?"

Slowly, I reached into my small back and pulled out my tattered cloak, looking down at the Hatake and Uchiha symbol embroidered on it. I held it up to the light, admiring the crimson lightning running through it and the darkened spots of dried blood."

"The last time I spoke to Toru and Shena," I began, "they told me that they would love me always, no matter what I did. They gave me this cloak, and told me it was for when I was ready for the world to see me. It took me awhile to realize what they meant. They didn't mean for when I was ready to be an Uchiha, or a Hatake. It wasn't for when was ready to be seen as a ninja, or even simply as Ibukai. It was for when I was ready to be seen as an opponent. It was for when I was ready to declare to the world that I was ready to fight to the end."

I looked up. "I lost my fight in the Chuunin Exams, but the fact remains that I went toe-to-toe with the Jinchuriki of the three-tails and survived. I went against _Kisame Hokigashi_ and survived." My eyes narrowed. "You ask me how I'm going to back my words up. I'm going to back them up by training, honing my skills and learning new ones. In three years, I'm going to begin a war. This isn't going to be a war for territory, or for revenge. There's not going to be any clear allies or enemies. No points to hold, no cities to defend. No, this is going to be a war to right past wrongs, to end the cycle of hatred that began with the formation of our shinobi world. First, I'm going to save Itachi. Then, I'm going to kill Danzo Shimura. After that, I intend to raze the Akatsuki, once and for all. Naruto is going to be Hokage one day, and I intend to make sure that he gets there without having to see his comrades die in front of him. This is a war, the old against the new. Hatred versus justice. Wrong versus right. In three years, I'm going to prove that the Uchiha aren't dead, and that we have the power to change the world. I'm willing to do anything to protect my friends, even if it means becoming a demon myself. I am going to be…"

I stood, breathing out slowly. The wind had picked up, ruffling my hair from behind, cooling my skin as the sun set, lighting up the compound with a brilliant golden glow, making the crimson lightning in my cloak light up, looking alive as it danced under my finger tips.

 _"Retribution."_


	52. Kakashi's Omake

After his father died, Kakashi didn't want to care about anyone. He learned the hard way that when the person closest to you dies, it tears your heart into shreds, and if you decide to pick the pieces up and put your heart back together, your heart would simply be torn open again.

That slowly started to change when he was put on a team with Rin and Obito. Rin, with her stupid fangirl crush and her stupid caring eyes, constantly asking for him to work with Obito. Obito and his stupid habits, always showing up late, bragging about how he was going to become Hokage one day. Minato-sensei, always watching them, letting them work their own problems out. Sure, it caused more than one fight when he didn't intervene, but Kakashi had come to realize in his ripe old age of 28 that Minato-sensei had let the fights happen on purpose. Team Minato had to work their own problems out without their sensei's help, and little by little, fight after fight, they did. Kakashi (although he never admitted it out loud) began to grow fond of Obito's loud, obnoxious speeches about how he'd never give up and how he'd be Hokage, and even though Obito's late tenancies drove Kakashi mad, soon Kakashi found himself growing amused at the absurdity of Obito's excuses. The Uchiha's Taijutsu was nothing to laugh about, either, and Obito never did learn how hard Kakashi pushed himself just to stay ahead of the Uchiha, while pretending he was that way naturally. Before he realized it, Kakashi Hatake found himself viewing Rin and Obito as more than a team. He realized: They were his friends.

Then, one after the other, Team Minato's members died. First Obito, and then Rin. He had asked to be put in the Anbu, and Minato, now the Hokage, had sadly authorized Kakashi's move into the darkest branch of the shinobi, only able to watch as his student threw himself into mission after mission. After the Hokage had died, Kakashi began truly yearning for death. His one hope had been Itachi, and Kakashi set himself on the path of training Itachi to take over Team Ro. Then, everything changed on the day he met Aiko.

Her team had been ambushed, and while Itachi was taking his revenge on the enemy shinobi, Kakashi was inspecting the bodies to see if any Leaf ninja were still alive. Upon finding the girl barely alive, he had intended to skip over her, but she had latched onto his forearm, her hand cutting itself on the metal. Kakashi had paused, wondering why someone would cling to life so hard, even when they were so close to death, when Itachi appeared. Upon seeing his kin, he had insisted that they take her back to the Leaf.

Once they got her to the hospital, the medics were unable to pry her grip off of Kakashi, barring cutting off her hand, and they had drug Kakashi with them to the surgery room. Lord Third had to come to the room in order for Kakashi to be able to give him a debriefing.

... ... ...

Kakashi sweatdropped.

Aiko had woken up, and her first words were...somewhat surprising.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

He sighed from behind his Anbu mask. "Would you mind letting go of me, now?"

She glanced down and her face grew red as she let go hastily.

"Than-" Kakashi stopped in the middle of both thanking her and rubbing his wrist. He looked down, surprised, to find the metal bent around his forearm.

 _Son of a-!_

He pried the metal off, and both he and Aiko simply stared as his wrist hung limply at an angle that it was _not_ supposed to bend in.

Itachi glanced it at the commotion, simply shaking his head and heading to find a free medic.

... ... ...

"Please?"

"No." Kakashi said, his voice firm, even in the face of the...rather cute...pouting girl.

Itachi sighed. Although not an Anbu yet, he was well aware of the strict code that the Anbu followed, and he was expected to be going into the Anbu in a couple years, anyways.

"What Anbu-san means to say is he'd be delighted." Itachi said, and Kakashi's head snapped in his direction, his eyes behind his Anbu mask glinting dangerously.

Aiko beamed at them both as Itachi accepted her invatation to cook Kakashi dinner as an apology for breaking his wrist and bracer.

Itachi noticed Kakashi's glare and mentally shrugged. He'd take Kakashi's wrath over Aiko's pouting any day.

... ... ...

Five years. Kakashi spent five years with that family before Itachi massacred the Uchiha. He had found out everything about them, how Aiko and Shisui's parents had died in the Third Great Ninja War, and with a jolt of guilt, that Obito had been their older brother. When he found out this fact, he almost backed out of the deal altogether, prevented only by Itachi and some very...threatening threats.

"I'll burn the entirety of your Icha Icha collection and make sure Jiraiya never writes another one again!"

 _...Bastard..._

The first night he had gotten...very drunk, courtesy of a mischievous Aiko, who wanted to see what he looked like underneath his mask. Itachi and Shisui, putting two and two together, decided that they wanted to be nowhere near a drunk Aiko and drunk Kakashi and vacated the premises with all due haste. It was a good thing, too, because Aiko did indeed get Kakashi's mask off. Among other things.

He had panicked when Aiko told him she was pregnant. He had tried to explain that he could well and truly die at any moment in the Anbu, saying that it was best for the child to be adopted and spared that pain. She had been hurt, very hurt, but she tried hiding it. Due to Lord Third, a very protective Shisui, and Toru and Shenba, Ibukai was over at Aiko's for every moment that he could. Kakashi was drug into his life, kicking and silently screaming, but drug in all the same.

When the Massacre occured and he found Ibukai alive in the closet, he had cried his eyes out, wrapping his arms around his _son._ Frantically, he had searched for Aiko, but to no avail. He held out a hope that she had somehow escaped, and was in hiding, but that hope diminished with every passing day.

Ibukai had lost his memory, and Aiko was gone. However, Toru, who had mentored him in his Anbu career, had actually encouraged Kakashi to take a Genin team, and against his better judgement, Kakashi had agreed.

Several years later, he had watched as his team owned the Chuunin exams, and although his son had lost his final fight, he had watched with surprise as Ibukai's chidori was formed, the lightning colored crimson.

Just like Aiko's.

 _...One day, I'll talk with him. One day, he'll know what that power truly is._

After Kisame's and Itachi's attack on the Leaf, he had awoken to find Ibukai in a near-death state. If Tsunade hadn't of been able to heal his son...Kakashi had no doubt he would have done anything and everything he could to track down and obliterate the two responsible.

However, Ibukai had recovered, and Kakashi was able to take a very relieved break in the arms of the woman who had been stalking him for several years: Anko Mitarashi.

He had been worried, at first, that he would be betraying Aiko's memory if he loved Anko, and it had taken a long time to come to the realization that no, he wouldn't be betraying his first love. Instead, he would be continuing on with his life and honoring her memory by continuing to train Ibukai, raising him to be a loyal Leaf shinobi.

His shock in finding out that 1: Itachi was simply following orders and 2: Aiko had aided him, broke Kakashi more than he let on. He had spent years believing Itachi had betrayed the village, and he had hated the missing nin for Aiko's disappearance and assumed death. Now, there were far more pieces in play in this game of shogi than he had originally realized.

His gut burned with his new-found hatred of Danzo, and he silently swore to bring the Warhawk down, no matter what it took.

"Kid has a plan." Anko said from where she stood next to him, both of them gazing at the memorial stone in the hours following Ibukai revealing the truth behind the Massacre. "Just follow his lead, Kakashi. I think my team will surprise you with what they're capable of." Her gaze softened. "You have to wonder how much those three know, huh? They work well and they're quick to adapt, true, but do you ever feel like, I don't know, your students know something you don't?"

Kakashi thought about his team. Ever since the Wave, they had gotten their shit straight, and Team 7 was rapidly becoming one of the strongest teams in the Leaf. He wouldn't be surprised in the least if they ended up in the ANBU one day. Naruto and Sasuke argued less and were becoming an unstoppable duo, and they had improved greatly since they went with Jiraiya to retrieve Tsunade. Sakura had started training to be a medical nin, and her strength was nothing to snort at, either. As for them knowing something he didn't?

"Not my team. They do surprise me with what they're capable of achieving, though." He finally said.

"How strong do you think they are?" Anko asked.

"As strong as they need to be." He replied.

"...Huh?"

He met her gaze. "They have always pulled through every mission, every enemy encounter. They always have each other's backs, and they don't give up and they don't back down. I don't actually know how strong they are, because they simply are as strong as they need to be to get through whatever obstacles are put in front of them."

She looked back at the memorial stone. "They're really something are they?"

"Indeed they are."

 _Sequel Link: Not Enough Time:_ ** _s/12966689/1/Not-Enough-Time-Nothing-But-Time-Sequel_**


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